THE WEDDING DRESS

Hello.  I'm Carly's wedding dress.  Yes, I know I look a little different.  I'm not the strapless style all the brides seem to want today.  And  I'm a little wrinkled from hanging in my moth-proof bag for all these years,  Not a touch of yellow on me though!  Carly took good care of me.  She looked so beautiful in me.  Everyone talked and talked about what a beautiful bride she was.  She was so happy, you'd have thought she was the only young woman in history to get married.  I will never forget the day she and her mother and Jill, her best friend and Maid of Honor, came into the Bridal Store where I lived until Carly chose me.  You know how everyone always tells brides, "You'll know the right dress the second you try it on!"?  That's how it was for Carly and me.  I can't really explain it, but just like that velveteen rabbit made "real" by the little boy's love ,  every dress has that moment when YOUR bride slips you on and stares into the mirror and sees herdelf wearing you for the first time.  Before that, you're just a pretty dress.  In that moment, though, you are more than just a dress.  You become someone's  wedding gown.  You are chosen.  You become real.  Carly must have tried on 5 or 6 dresses that day before getting to me, but then she put me on, and I knew, and so did she.  My sweetheart neckline showed off her grandmother's diamond necklace perfectly.  She paid for me on the spot and took me home, and everyone oohed and ahhed.  I was  very glad my bride and I had found each other.  But now, even though she took good care of me, I've just been hanging here all this time.  I don't really have a purpose now.  No one needs me.  There's no bride waiting for me anymore.  The majic is beginning to fade.  Maybe one day the "realness" will too, and then my lace and beads will start to fall off, and I'll start to turn gray.  That's the last thing I want, but what can I do?  Wait, someone's  coming.  Oh, its Carly.  What's she doing taking me out of my bag?  She's putting me on.  Why would she do that now?  She looks in the mirror and smiles.  I can't believe it.  I still fit!  She looks just as beautiful as when she wore me before.  "You were part of the happiest day of my life.  I was so young, just starting out, and full of dreams.  Most of them came true, too.  Last night, my baby girl came to me and told me she's getting married.  I can't believe she's all grown up!  It was only yesterday  that I  got married.  But if she can be even half as happy as her daddy and I have been, then she'll have a wonderful life.  I think wearing you on her wedding day would be a wonderful start to making sure her dreams come true too."  Oh, my goodness, Carly!  Thank you so much!  Wait, is it just the light in here, or is my white fabric gleaming just a little brighter?