Happily Ever After...

I want to be Cinderella. No, really. I love Cinderella stories. I don't care if that puts me at a maturity level of a five year old. I don't think five year olds can really appreciate the complexity of the story of Cinderella. I feel like it's a timeless one, played out over and over again in books and movies. I own the Disney Cinderella movie, and well as "A Cinderella Story," "Another Cinderella Story," and "Ever After." Many other movies I own could probably fall into this category, even if they aren't sold to be Cinderella stories. It's fine. Laugh. It makes me happy. (Wow, I sound super defensive. Sorry!)

Anyway, I think for me there are several things that make Cinderella such a great story. First, I think that Cinderella is a character lots of people can relate to. I mean, who hasn't been teased and treated badly? Who hasn't wanted to make those people eat their words? (Now I sound all revengey...I don't really wish ill on people who have wronged me...too much...) But seriously, admit it, sometimes it would be nice to see those people with the "holier than thou" attitude get taken down a notch or two. For their own good, of course. ;)

Then of course there is the idea that even from humble beginnings, anything is possible. Cinderella went from losing both her parents and being turned into a servant and treated horribly by her stepmother and stepsisters to becoming a princess! How awesome is that? Dreams do come true!

My favorite part I think is the love story aspect. (Now I'm all romantical sounding...it's okay to gag) I love that with all the beautiful women, nicely dressed, wealthy, "bred" to be ladies, the prince still chooses Cinderella in the end. It doesn't matter to him what she looks like or where she comes from, because he loves who she is.

Now, I realize this is a very romanticized view of the story. I mean, Cinderella was dressed just like all the other women when the prince met her, and in all the movies the "Cinderella" character is always beautiful. Also, in most of the stories, the prince only spends but a few minutes with Cinderella, so in reality he couldn't possibly know he loves her. But I don't like to think about those things. I like happy endings, and I like to believe good things can happen to good people.

Do Cinderella stories really exist? I don't know. But if they do, I hope I get to play Cinderella.