From the desk
Wouldn’t it be nice if fairy tales were real? That thought suddenly hit me this summer. My hairdresser Sara was cutting and coloring my hair, and her daughter was watching a Walt Disney movie in the living room (not the Pixar ones. Think more old school, like the Lion King).
I could not help but hear her enthusiasm. Her laughter could have filled the entire house.
Then she showed me her Woody and Buzz Light Year action figures, and her eyes were twinkling with delight. She does not have to worry about homework, fights with friends and well, the realities of the world!
For 4-year-olds, come Christmas time Santa Claus is their new best friend, and when they lose their little teeth, they dream of the tooth fairy who will take their teeth and leave crisp, one-dollar bills in their place.
I remember being that child, the one who believed in happily-ever afters and Prince Charmings. Trust me, I was also convinced that there really was a one-inch high person named Thumbelina (if only that little person really existed so she could help me do my work).
You probably remember being that kid, too. Those days consisted of more than believing in magic and pixie-dust. When you’re a kid, you dream about your future career. Nothing is stopping you from becoming an astronaut or a famous singer.
Then, one day, we wake up and realize that that future really was only a dream. We give up on flying to the moon, and we settle for mediocrity and routines. We stop trying, because we are told that we are not good enough.
By this point, fairy tales are long forgotten, and we have settled for less than what we deserve in a partner, in a job, and in life in general.
Why should we stop believing in the unbelievable? We have a choice.
Be Cinderella who turned into a beautiful princess, and do not let the “ugly stepsisters” tell you that you are not pretty enough.
If you have not found Prince Charming or John Smith, do not settle for Mr. Right Now.
It seems like we could learn more from a 4-year-old kid than meets the eye.