Molly was a pretty girl, but she had no confidence and the circumstances of her life led her to drown each day in profound feelings of sadness and despair. She went through the motions of every day life with no joy or purpose. School was boring and she hated it, but she mostly hated just being around all the other kids because of the nasty girls who seemed intent on making her miserable. They made it their job to torment her at every opportunity. Their comments and bullying were often unbearable and what made it worse was that their lives were perfect, they had never known the type of sadness Molly dealt with every day. At one time her life was happy, but from the moment her mother became ill she knew only the mental anguish of watching someone she dearly loved waste away and die in pain. Since that day it was as if a huge part of Molly had died too. One day in a desperate attempt to avoid the bullying Molly ducked into a small antique shop, a strange little place that seemed to draw her in like an oasis in the middle of a desert. The moment she walked in it felt like a warm blanket wrapping around her on a freezing cold day. The owner was a unique woman who in time, became a great friend, teacher and Molly's mentor. At first the shop was a place to hide, then it became a place to nourish her spirit. It was in that shop that she was given a magical gift that would change her life. Through this wonderful gift she saw places that she never imagined, had amazing adventures and experiences with incredible people. Soon the bullies didn't matter anymore, she experienced joy again through the magic of the little jade ball.