Butterfly attack.

Dear Arizona,

I got the lead in this big dance performance, and I was really excited--until now. Opening night is coming up, and I'm so nervous I can barely breathe. I'd quit if I could, but I don't want to let everyone down. Help!--Butterflies in My Stomach

Dear Butterflies,

Want to know what to do when you get butterflies in your stomach? Swallow a butterfly net!

Seriously, though, about the nervousness thing, I can relate.

You see, my school did Peter Pan for our winter play this year, and I completely wanted to be Tinkerbell. Unfortunately, Kimberly Ann, the best actress in school, was trying out for Tinkerbell, too.

I was positive I'd end up being a rock or a flower, as usual. But Kimberly Ann ended up being Wendy, and yours truly got to be you-know-who!

"Arizona!" Dad said at dinner. "Would you please sit down with the rest of the family?"

"I would if I could, Daddy," I said, fluttering around the table. "But I need to keep moving. We fairies have to exercise our wings--or else!"

"Or else what?" Tex and Indi asked at the exact same time.

"It's a fairy secret," I answered. "If I tell you, my wings will be taken away."

"But you don't even have wings," said Indi.

"Yeah!" said Tex. "You're not really a fairy. You're just pretending to be one for a play!"

I gasped in horror, put my hands over my ears, and fell to the floor. "I can't hear another word of this nonsense!" I said. "If you don't believe in fairies, they lose their wings and disappear. Do you want that to happen to me?"

"That's enough, Arizona," said Morn. "We're glad you're practicing for your play, but practice time is over. Now please sit down and eat your dinner."

I was so excited to get the part that I ate, walked, worked, and talked like Tinkerbell. By the time opening night came, I was ready, with only the teeniest butterflies in my stomach. I waited backstage with Wendy, Peter Pan, Captain Hook, and the rest of the cast.

"I'm so nervous!" Kimberly Ann said, adjusting her pretty blue Wendy nightgown.

"You're nervous?" I said. "But you're the best actress ever! Why in the world would you be nervous?"

"Are you kidding?" She laughed. "I can come up with a million reasons! That curtain is going to open any minute, and when it does--oh, man, I don't even want to think about it!"

"Think about what?" I asked, fixing my wings.

"The audience, for starters," she said. "An entire sea of people, just waiting for us to mess up our lines, or trip over our nightgowns, or--"

"But you're the only one with a nightgown to trip over," I pointed out.

"Oh, believe me," she said. "There are plenty of ways we could all mess up] But you should completely ignore me. I'm always such a Nervous Nelly right before I go on!"

When the curtain opened, Nervous Nelly, otherwise known as Kimberly Ann, otherwise known as Wendy, went onstage and did perfectly, amazingly great.

I, on the other hand, had nothing but time backstage to think about anything and everything that could possibly go wrong.

By the time I got my cue, I was so nervous that the normal little butterflies in my stomach had transformed into gigantic mutant ninja butterflies!

"Go on, Arizona," Kimberly Ann said, trying to push me toward the stage. "You're up!"

But I couldn't go. I couldn't do anything. I just stood there like a zombie, wishing I could disappear.

Now, I knew all along what a good actress Kimberly Ann was. What I didn't know was what a good friend she could be.

Kimberly Ann looked straight into my eyes and said, "Arizona, your acting at our rehearsals has been amazing. I mean it--you're really great at this! And if all the great actresses in the world let a little bit of stage fright stop them, there'd be no great actresses left to act. So go out there, and be the great actress that you are!"

What an amazing compliment! I figured that if Kimberly Ann believed in me that much, I might as well believe in me, too. I told the mutant ninja butterflies to hit the road, then I went on and did my part. And believe it or not, I actually had fun!

So basically, dear Butterflies, you should just plain believe in yourself. Instead of worrying about all the stuff that could go wrong, try thinking about all the stuff that could go right. Tell yourself how great you are, tell the butterflies to take a hike, and have a good time!

Ciao for now, Arizona