Aswathy Sebastian
19/UPHA/038
When I was a young girl, I used to dream of fairy tales; stories of beautiful princesses, charming princes, white horses, and magical castles. I dreamt about a fairytale life and my Prince Charming. I cheered for Cinderella when she got her happily ever after. I was elated when Sleeping Beauty was kissed by her true love. I was thrilled when Rapunzel was saved. I wished I was Ariel when Prince Eric married her. I wanted an Aladdin to show me the world on a magic carpet just like he did with Princess Jasmine. So I waited for my prince, a handsome, brave man with a cape and a white horse. I dreamt of being kissed under the stars.
One fine day, reality struck me and I realized no one was going to save me from my vexed life or fulfil my dreams. Maybe all the fairytales I had heard were all beautiful lies; star crossed lovers and soulmates nothing but myths, none of them existing in the real world. All we have here are monsters who never look anything like they do in stories. Angels were not pretty, nor did they wear white dresses. No one ever showed up to my doorstep on a horse with a shoe that I had lost. Well, life is not always about “once upon a time” and “happily ever after”. Nobody has a perfect fairytale life; everybody I meet is fighting a battle I know nothing of, and they are all perfect in their imperfections. Maybe the fairy tales and bedtime stories we should tell our daughters should be about strong women with real flaws and incredible qualities so that they never wait to be rescued.
Suddenly I feel content with my thoughts. I look in the mirror to see my satisfied face and find a disillusioned if braver girl. Sometimes I wish I’d never grown up.
thanks gayathry
This is amazing, Aswathy! :)