By Cindy Koch –

Cinderella. Sleeping Beauty. Princes and Princesses. There is a longing need to be a part of a fairy tale. We heard them when we were children. We may have seen a Disney movie or two. Somewhere along the line a gripping tale of good and evil, innocent and guilty, damsel in distress and prince on a white horse caught our attention. I clearly remember dancing along with Briar Rose as she sang, “I know you, I walked with you once upon a dream…”

As we grew a little older, we learned that fairytales are not real. We learned not to expect a gracious secret lover that has been watching from afar. We learned that we were not princesses in pretty sparkly dresses. We learned that there was no grand ball nor “happily ever after” to our life of increasing responsibility and pain. The older and wiser I became, the childish memories of castles, comfort, and kings faded.

All grown up, we now know that the world is a dangerous place. Evil lurks in the mundane routine of life. Friends can turn out to be my enemies. Soft smooth words are often those that strike at me for the kill. I am afraid of those who say they love me. I have been hurt by those former young expectations of compassion and chivalry. I, myself, lash out in anger unlike any lady should.

But then, one day I again read a fairytale. A young girl is afraid and alone. She has no special clothes, no special name. This servant girl stole a bit of food from the great and terrible master of the kingdom. Her clothes were stripped from her body as she escaped the confrontation. So now she hides, naked and afraid for her life. But a boy watches the whole event. He takes his very own coat, found her, and covered her. The he bravely steps out of the shadows to face the angry king, to save this beautiful servant girl who shivers in the shadows.

And there I am again: caught up in a fairy tale. Our heart swells with hope when the boy steps forward. We let out a cry of relief when that brave man meets the king, on her behalf. The king looks at the boy, and recognizes that this is his own son. A prince has challenged the judgment of his father! And for what? An insignificant servant girl who is hiding in shame.

This girl needs a fairytale; she needs a savior. I hold my breath in anticipation because I, too, am hiding troubled in the dark; I need a savior. I can identify with the shame and terror of the servant. I look on the horizon for someone to hear my weak cry for help. These fairytales are not only for the young and naive; we all long for that prince to cover us, love us, and confront the King.

Give a girl her fairytale instead of the complicated rules and regulations of the kingdom in which she resides. She has no chance to survive without it. There is a protector that watched from afar. We are adorned as His beautiful bride. He gave us His garment. He restored us to His Father, the King. We are the honored guests at the royal ball! We will live happily ever after!