ONCE UPON A TIME...
...Cinderella was my favorite Princess! Well actually, she still is. She has been my favorite
Princess for as long as I can remember. When I was little and scared, my Mom would tell me to "go to my happy place," and it was always Cinderella. I donned her blue, sparkling dress for many-a-Halloween, and to this day meeting her in Disney World when I was 5 is my oldest memory. And yet, for all of the wonderfulness she is, Cinderella gets a terrible rap! She is one of the most misunderstood Princesses of all time.
My whole life I have heard people call Cinderella weak, passive, and a poor role model. They say she wasted her life waiting for a Prince and gave up everything to run away with the first man that showed her any attention instead of fighting for herself. They call her a gold-digger, lazy... the list goes on. There is even a song by the Cheetah Girls called "Cinderella" that says:
"I don't want to be like Cinderella Sittin' in a dark cold dusty cellar Waitin' for somebody to come and set me free I don't want to be like someone waiting For a handsome prince to come and save me"
I am here to disprove these lies because as far as I'm concerned, Elsa needs to let it go, Cindy is the real Queen! Let's get down to business, shall we? (Bonus points if you get all my Disney references!)
Misconception #1: Cinderella waited her whole life for a Prince to rescue her and gave herself away to the first man that showed her attention.
Cinderella did not spend her life in a cellar singing about the day she would be rescued by Prince Charming. In fact, the only man she ever craved love from was the Father she lost; the only person who taught her what love truly is. Nothing against the OG Princess Snow White, but Cinderella's song of hope was not "Someday My Prince Will Come." Cinderella's song was about the wishes her heart made. Her dream was freedom, not a Prince. She was raised in an abusive, unloving household where she was made to be a slave and feel worthless. It is no wonder she clung to the hope that one day she could get out. No one can blame her for dreaming, as dreams were the only way she could cope.
As for Prince Charming, he was a perk! Cinderella never went to the ball with the intention of finding her Prince. For her, it was one night of freedom away from her prison. She didn't even realize that the man whose eye she had caught was the Prince's! And at the end of the night she ran home without looking back, not even to grab her shoe. She held onto the memories but she was satisfied. In no way was she seeking fame, fortune, or even love.
It is true that the Prince fell in love with her in a matter of hours, but I find that fact a testament to her character. When you know you know, right? And while we've all learned you can't marry a man you just met (looking at you, Anna), that's just Disney movies- especially in the 50s! I don't blame Cinderella for jumping at the chance to get out of her house and become a Princess. Quite honestly, I think most girls would.
Misconception #2: Cinderella is passive and weak.
Just the opposite. Cinderella shows great strength in her humility and kindness towards her step-mother and step-sisters. It is easy to fight against those who hurt us, but it takes great strength to humble yourself and serve others, especially those who don't deserve it. Don't get me wrong, I love Rapunzel's sense of adventure and Tiana's sass and independence, but I worry that female role models have swung the pendulum so far to the side of fierceness and independence that we have forgotten how to have courage and be kind.
Kindness is a lost art. People are so afraid to be kind to one another for fear that they will not receive kindness in return. The fact that Cinderella does not defy her family to escape does not mean she is passive and weak. She chooses every day, despite the difficulty, to act in kindness, and to hope for a better future. Too many people today are afraid to hope for fear of disappointment or seeming naive. Cinderella dares to hope. She is an excellent role model for strength and character.
Misconception #3: Cinderella needed saving.
Actually, this one isn't a misconception at all, it's true! Many of you may get uncomfortable here, but Cinderella did not have the power to save herself. She needed help, and that's nothing to be ashamed of. We all need help sometimes, but because we have been told to be strong, we feel like we need to save ourselves, and we just can't do that.
Cinderella was humble and brave enough to know when she needed help, and that is why her Fairy Godmother shows up. Accepting help from someone who has the power to save us is not weakness, it is discernment. We must have the wisdom to know that we can't save ourselves, but someone can. It's about trusting that person and letting go of our need to control the situation. Imagine if Cinderella had turned away the Fairy Godmother because 'she was a damsel, she was in distress, but she could handle this.' No pumpkin carriage, no glass slippers, no sparkling gown, no night of freedom.
Sometimes, we need to admit our lack of ability to help ourselves so that we can become open to the lavish gifts someone else can bestow upon us. For me, this person is Jesus. He has the power to save me and turn me into a Princess. His magic wand looks like a wooden cross, and my glass slippers shine from within, but the freedom, empowerment, and sense of dignity is the same. And that transformation is open to everyone by the way- not just me.
HAPPILY EVER AFTER
I honestly could go on about this woman for hours, but I will cut it here. I think I've proven my point: Cinderella is strength in humility, hope for the hopeless, selfless and true, independent and caring; a class act. To me, she is an example of the type of women Christ asks me to be. I want to model her strength, her grace, her hope, her joy even in the face of adversity, and her ability to humble herself enough to serve and to be served. And if a real Fairy Godmother wants to throw in that gorgeous sparkling dress, well I wouldn't turn that down either ;)
Until next time,
Gabby
