A 6-year-old girl has a unique condition where she laughs instead of crying when she's sad. She faces bullying and misunderstandings throughout her childhood, especially from a spoiled classmate named Monica. Despite the challenges, she finds solace in art and eventually gains recognition for her talent. With the help of a supportive mother and a kind boyfriend, Eugene, she overcomes her struggles and learns to accept herself. Years later, she gets married to Eugene, has three children, and becomes a successful artist. Her youngest child, Frei, inherits her condition, but she makes sure that Frei and other children are accepted and supported. The story is a heartwarming tale of self-acceptance, perseverance, and the power of art to bring people together.
Here are the key facts from the text:
1. The narrator is a 6-year-old girl who has a condition where she laughs instead of crying.
2. The narrator's condition is caused by her brain receiving the wrong signal when she's feeling sad, resulting in laughter instead of tears.
3. The narrator's father is a neurosurgeon who helps her understand her condition.
4. The narrator's mother is supportive and helps her cope with her condition.
5. The narrator is bullied and misunderstood by her classmates, especially Monica, who is a wealthy and popular student.
6. The narrator is talented in art and starts selling her paintings online.
7. A boy named Eugene becomes the narrator's friend and art tutor, and later becomes her boyfriend.
8. The narrator's father is not supportive of her art and throws away her paints.
9. The narrator and her mother move out of their home and live with their grandmother.
10. The narrator graduates from art school on a full scholarship and exhibits her work in galleries.
11. The narrator meets Eugene again after many years, and he becomes her agent.
12. The narrator and Eugene get married and have three children, including a youngest child who has the same condition as the narrator.
13. The narrator's daughter studies to be an art therapist and starts programs to help children channel their emotions into art.