Miss Aligned—that was the name she went by. Born and raised in the scenic village of Harmonyville, she was admired far and wide for her impeccable character and outstanding personality. Parents held her up as the gold standard, the embodiment of virtue, a model for their sons and daughters. She had mastered society’s expectations with such precision that she fit in effortlessly—or so it seemed to those who watched her from the outside. She was, without a doubt, the mirror of her society, reflecting its ideals with striking clarity.
As a result, Miss Aligned became the coach of dreams, the pride of the land. Her presence was a given at the regular youth conferences organized by community leaders. She was the chosen speaker, inspiring the young generation to embody dignity and become valuable members of society. Year after year, she played her part flawlessly, appearing as the living, breathing version of the village’s unwritten code of conduct.
During the festive season, as was tradition, another grand conference took place. That afternoon, Miss Aligned delivered an electrifying speech, captivating the crowd with her wisdom. Cheers and applause filled the stadium as the masses celebrated her brilliance. Yet, unbeknownst to them, within her, a different story unfolded.
As friends held hands, reflecting on the day’s events, Miss Aligned drifted away. She often preferred solitude after such gatherings, but today felt different. Lost in thought, she walked to the ancient oak tree at the village’s edge and sat beneath its towering branches.
“Is it wrong to seek solace in nature?”—any passerby might have thought and left her undisturbed. But not Granny Willow. The elderly woman, known for her brutal authenticity yet unwavering composure, approached with a knowing smile. She was the wife of a renowned inspirational musician, but more importantly, she was the village’s quiet keeper of wisdom.
“My dear Miss Aligned!” Granny Willow’s voice rang out from a distance. With a sigh, Miss Aligned looked up, meeting the old woman’s kind, knowing eyes. She instantly felt she had found someone she could confide in.
“Why are you sitting here alone, my daughter? How may I help you?”
“Be seated,” Miss Aligned said softly. After a pause, she exhaled deeply. “Tell me what I must do when the whole world sees me as having it all, yet within, everything feels like it’s falling apart?”
Granny Willow smiled and settled beside her. “Calm down, darling, and listen to me.”
She took a breath and, with the wisdom of ages, spoke. “Your soul is calling out. There is more to you than the image you’ve built to fit into the world around you. Your desire to belong cannot stand against your deeper desire to be. To be authentic and free. To be true and vulnerable. To be different, yet whole.
“You have mastered the rules well—but not well enough to break them. They have become your cage, and now, your infinite self calls you into the vast space of true adventure. You must tear down the walls that confine you, stretching beyond the calculated limits of society. You must embody your being, not just perform the part.”
Miss Aligned sat still, absorbing every word, her head nodding slowly in understanding.
Granny Willow rose, her eyes filled with quiet certainty. “I cannot sit with you here any longer, for the infinite—the depths of your soul—cannot be taught. It can only be explored, and only by you.” With that, she disappeared down the bushy path leading to the village market.
A sense of relief spread across Miss Aligned’s face. She watched the elder leave, then whispered with gratitude, “I have aligned myself with the rules but misaligned myself with my soul. I have conformed to the outward while suffocating the within. Now, I will be, not just do.”
That moment marked the beginning of a quiet revolution. Miss Aligned no longer sought perfection; she sought balance and wholeness. She carried home her lesson from Granny Willow—that true alignment begins from within.
Namaste.