Yesterday I had the privilege to volunteer at a Fairytale Festival put on by the local theatre I often perform at. I know what you're thinking... What is a fairytale festival and where can I go to one?!
This fairytale festival was a two day event that included music, princess hair, fairy house making, real live princesses walking around, real live pirates, a costume sale for the upcoming holiday, food, and so much more. Little girls flocked from all over to have a 'Princess Tea Party,' while young boys gawked at the REAL LIFE hot wheels car. Much work was put into the festival, and it paid off! What was my role, you ask?
Pony Rides.
I was originally supposed to sing, as well as perform my cooking skills at the hotdog stand, however, when I got to the festival Saturday morning one thing led to another, and before I knew it I was leading two small horses, Annie and Harley, around a stretch of grass on the west side of the theatre.
This task was no problem for me, because I love horses, and know how to somewhat work with them. However, the true joy of this task was within the children. As each child anxiously came up to me with their 2 tickets, I would ask them their name and lift them up on the pony. As I made the rounds leading the horse around the lawn, child after child beamed, just thrilled to be riding a horse that seemed to be just their size. I casually made small talk with each little boy and girl, asking them their age and what grade in school they were. Some responded, talking off my ear, while others were far too concentrated being on a 'wild animal' to even realize I existed.
One little girl, in particular, really made my heart smile. She eagerly stood in line in her light blue dress, her hair done in a tight bun on the top of her head framed by a sparkly tiara. Many of the kids had dressed up as their favorite princess/prince/pirate or whatever, for the festival. And, although, they looked the part, when I asked, as I lifted them on the pony, they obviously told me their real name- which was to be expected. But not this little girl. She walked up to hand me her two tickets, and I quickly kneeled to her level and asked her name. She ever so confidently responded:
"My name is Cinderella!"
Wow. How incredible is that. What would it be like to have the innocence and absolute perfect imagination of a young child. This little girl had zero hesitation when telling me, a perfect stranger, that she was, in fact, the beautiful princess. She was beaming. She was beautiful. She had not a care in the world except to ride the pony. She truly believed that, in this moment, she was Cinderella. This little girl got me thinking; What if we, as adults, could just pause our lives and 'be Cinderella'... if even for a day. Would it be possible? Would we be able to take ourselves out of the stress of work, school, and family? Perhaps we could SAY we were Cinderella, but would we truly BE Cinderella?
Life doesn't go away. That's just a fact. But how do YOU choose to view your life? It's easy to get sucked into the struggles and trials that come with each new day... dwelling on the problems that bring us down. It's easy to live these days as a 'The Wicked Step-Mother,' scowling and cursing at what's good, and being influenced by what's evil. For what, though? To end each day tired, done, and dreading the next? I say NAY! I challenge every one of us to live each day more like this little girl, taking the blows with poise and elegance, because, duh, that's how any good princess would handle situations. I challenge each of us to take our poor, sad self out of the equation, if just for a day, and CHOOSE to be the better version of ourselves. I challenge each of us to take a cue from this small child and allow innocence and imagination to overtake us for a few hours, so that we might be happy, carefree, and both inwardly and outwardly beautiful.
I challenge each of us take on the idea of simply BEING CINDERELLA.
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