No Time for Parties and Fun

The other night before bed, Avery Kate chose two Little Golden Books for her story time. I have a fondness for Little Golden Books. In fact, I kind of collect them. Especially those illustrated by Eloise Wilkin. I digress.



One of the stories she selected was Walt Disney's 1950 version of Cinderella. Now, in my opinion, Cinderella is one of the greatest princess stories ever told. Of course it's been altered quite a bit over the years, but I really appreciate Charles Perrault's original adaptation. Cinderella is kindhearted and completely selfless, serving her family with joy. In the end, she is rewarded beyond her wildest dreams and lives happily ever after. It's a great story.

So I'm reading the 1950s version, which introduces us to Cinderella's many woes. Of course she lives in a faraway land with her "mean old stepmother" and cruel stepsisters. Her duties? I'll share: "Cinderella cooked and baked. She cleaned and scrubbed. She had no time left for parties and fun."

I stopped. This job description sounded awfully familiar. Where had I heard it before? Oh, yes. That's right. This is MY job description. I cook and bake and clean and scrub. I have no time left for parties and fun. Woe is me.



However, if we keep reading, we see that the next line changes everything for Cinderella:

"One day an invitation came from the palace of the king." And the rest is history.

An invitation from the King is all it takes, my friend. One word from Him and everything is turned around. It removes the servant girl from the pitiful plight as one who has "no time left for parties and fun" and elevates her to the position of heir. Royalty.

Of course, the job description might not change a whole lot for the time being. There will still be cooking and baking and cleaning and scrubbing. But to know that we've been noticed by the King? Even loved by the King? Whoa. That makes it all worth it. It might even cause us to take on a joyful Cinderella countenance as we go about our duties. The singing and humming and all? Not a bad idea, now that I think of it.

And we don't have to worry a bit about the apparent lack of parties and fun. The best is yet to come. Because as we all know, the prince and princess always live happily ever after.