Of Mice and Cinderella: The Internal Drama

Poor Cinderella! Locked up and sitting in ashes. What a nasty step-mother!  And those sisters! Ugly pretenders! And do you just love fairy godmothers? One of the ways I like to look at Inner Bonding is that I have a whole cast of characters performing a drama within! I have an evil “step-mother” inside who works Cinderella to the bone; then, no matter what she has accomplished, it is never good enough. That step-mother is a dark cloud over Cinderella -- mean, critical and abusive. Worse, she is in league with the other pretenders, those dratted sisters. The sisters want precedence over the princess. They want what belongs to her and they make her their slave. They do everything they can to belittle Cinderella and to get the prince for themselves. But, they are fakes--they do not really deserve to wear those little sparkly shoes (not that I would ever want to wear glass shoes)! By the way, what about Cinderella’s father? Exactly where did he go? Is he really just a victim who died young and innocent leaving the poor princess to a terrible fate? And, then, there is “prince charming.” Is finding him the simple fix to all that ails? Is he really the one who makes for “happily ever after”?  (I taught my daughter to sing a variation on the Disney song—in a high falsetto voice of course. “Someday my prince will come—and everything will be wonderful, magnificent, fantastic, etc.!” It was a big joke.  We would sing it lustily and then laugh uproariously!)

The rest of this fanciful story that includes little mice who help, a magical pumpkin coach, and a big Grand Ball have always fed my imagination and heart. But, now, as a confirmed Inner Bonder, the story helps me on another level. I can step back from my life and observe the drama.  I can see the players at work! And, I can observe the inevitable outcome depending upon who is in charge of the script at the moment. All of a sudden, I am given the gift of choice! I can choose to muzzle the “step-mother” and to tell the “sisters” that they do not get to take over the play! When I adopt them as my own little characters, they actually become little. They are just acting out what I learned as a child. While I do not have to let them take over, I do have sweet compassion on their misguided attempts to do life. I love them “to death.” So, as a loving adult, a true mother and father, I can rewrite the script at any moment! I am the one who calls my inner child “princess” and who fights for her cause. I am the one who cleans off the ashes and invites her into the sunshine. I can show up as the fairy godmother or as Prince Charming. I can cooperate with the Divine in a drama that supports my life each and every day -- to save the day! !!! May there always be that connection that saves me from the “Dong” of the clock! And, instead of a frilly gown, give me blue jeans and a horse any day, but get me to that Ball on time!