(The names in this story have been changed at the request of the subject.)

She was named after her Great Great Grandmother Clarissa Gwendolyn Wells. She had three ponies, two horses, ninety one dresses, her own bedroom suite with a walk-in closet and dressing room walled with mirrors, her own cell phone and her very own credit card from Nordstroms…AND…she was the unhappiest girl that she knew. In fact, that was part of the problem for this wealthy twelve year old, she hardly knew ANYONE her own age.

Her parents were THE Well’s of Wellston, Connecticut! Great great Grandmom Clarissa and Great Great Grandad Hanniford Madison Wells built the town of Wellston to house the hundreds of employees of Wells Industries, manufacturers of the finest textiles, leather goods and notions (whatever that was) in America at the time! Her house was so big that it had intercom speakers in every room, except the bathrooms of course, of which there were eight. There was a “staff” of six serving the Wells’s every need, dressed in their own special uniforms of domestic service.

“Gwen” as she liked to be called, especially liked her Nanny Adelade who was from Leicester England which inexplicably was pronounced “Lester”. The Wells family also employed Curtis the chauffeur, Edwardo the “chef” (“He’s NOT a cook Dear!” Mother said.) and Sarah the housemaid and two gardeners Ralph and James who were brothers. “Never refer to them as “servants” Dear!” her Mom cautioned. And it always seemed as though there were workers in the house doing something or other to “Improve the place!” as Daddy would say, a bit sarcastically. But with all of those people constantly filling up her house Gwen was still a very lonely girl.

Gwen wanted to get a puppy, a Golden Retriver, but her Mom said…”Oh heavens Gwendolyn no animals in the house…go ride your horse!” And every time Gwen complained to her Mom about being lonely and needing playmates, girls her own age, her Mom said…”We’ll have some sent over from town this afternoon if you really insist!” Gwen didn’t even have schoolmates because she was “Home schooled” by professors from the University at Eastport, the next town over.

Gwen did spend time on her computer with her own “Facebook” account and would often communicate with girls her own age, but as soon as they found out how wealthy her family was they usually stopped writing on her wall. Gwen thought about inventing a different identity,that of a “normal” girl, but didn’t want to lie about everything and probably couldn’t even convince anyone anyway since she didn’t have a clue as to how “normal” girls really lived!

Gwen’s Mother would occasionally ask “Why do you ALWAYS look so sad Gwendolyn Dear? You have everything that a girl your age would ever want. So brighten up! If I would have had all the privledges that you have when I was…let’s see, how old are you….twelve?….yes twelve…well, I would have been the happiest girl in the whole world!” “Yes Mother…” Gwen would answer, smiling as widely as possible and trying to look “bright”.

Gwen even thought to herself sometimes “I DO have everything…why AM I always so unhappy?” Gwen asked her home school teachers why she was so sad, but they didn’t know. She asked Adelade and she didn’t know. She didn’t ask her Mother because Gwen already knew what she would say but when Gwen asked her Dad why she was so sad he said…”Maybe it’s because you don’t have to struggle and earn what you want. You just have to ask or buy the things you want, but no one can “Buy” happiness because that only comes from inside each of us and not from what we HAVE but who we are…how we feel.”

Gwen thought about what her Father said and then asked him…”How do I get to feel better about me?”

“Well one way is to think first about others and how to make THEM happy.”

“You mean like when we give donations to the poor at the holidays?”

“Yes…but also each and every day.”

“Gosh…I’ll try. But how do I get started?”

“You already have!” And Gwen’s Dad gave her a kiss on her forehead.

After thinking and surfing the web to analyze charities and various help and care sites she decided to begin her own charity for “Lonely Girls”.

Soon she created a Chat Room and an advice and council forum and it didn’t take long before dozens and then hundreds of young girls were communicating and discussing their problems and most importantly “giving” their time and in many cases their allowances to help poor, or sick people everywhere. Her site grew and grew and soon Gwen’s generous creation was getting worldwide recognition. And the success of her efforts had nothing to do with the fact that she had a wealthy family. But the most unusual part of all concerning the success of the efforts of Gwendolyn Wells, is that no one in the whole world knew exactly who she was, because Gwen never ever used her own name.

I’m sure you would recognize the charity that she started but in order to write this story it was promised not to divulge the true identity of that great charitable endeavor, the amazing creation of maybe the Happiest girl in the world!