Fairy Tale

(From the Sunday Scribbling's Writing Prompt:  Fairy Tale)

Mama said there'd be days like this

there'd be days like this, my Mama said...

But Mama said 

to lower my standards 

the man I was looking for 

did not exist 

and I told my mama 

that I'd rather be alone 

than settle 

I came too close 

too many times 

to a life of forgetting who I was 

I wasn't looking for a fairy tale 

I knew that fairy tales don't come true 

what I'd forgotten 

or maybe didn't know 

was that fairy tales were full 

of darkness and challenge 

struggle and longing 

and giving up right before 

the sun finally rises 

fairy tales were hard won 

and "happily ever after" 

left much room for interesting narrative 

I bet Cinderella laughed 

with her new husband 

about the grace of their finding each other 

against all odds 

and she put away those damn glass slippers 

finally 

because after all, 

they were simply impractical 

She was used to hard work 

real life 

I doubt she just watched soap operas 

and joined the PTA 

I imagine Cinderella 

embraced her new life 

found things to stimulate her mind 

and her strong will 

and if the Prince truly loved her 

(after all, didn't they live "happily ever after"?) 

he wanted her to be the full person 

she was meant to be 

Or Snow White 

she'd known evil in her life 

she'd faced death and lived to tell 

she'd seen The Other Side 

and sat up to Begin Again 

with a man who loved her 

I imagine they had Thanksgivings 

with her seven little friends  

who were the first to love her 

for who she really was 

you and me 

what were the odds? 

we'd both been Through It 

The psychologists wouldn't have predicted 

a positive outcome 

too many "issues" 

but all I knew 

is that with you 

I was safe 

you quickly knew all about me 

the good and the bad 

the dark and the light 

you held my hand 

as I walked through fire 

and still 

you loved me 

I told you once 

when we were just friends 

that you had 

Jesus Eyes 

What I meant 

was that in your eyes 

I saw beauty in me 

that I hadn't seen before 

In your eyes 

I saw love 

that could endure 

everything 

ahead 

unshakeable 

unrelenting 

and there was no reasoning 

no wondering 

it didn't make any sense at all

but no matter what 

I did 

to keep you away 

your love enfolded me 

calmed me 

centered me 

grounded me 

and for the first time 

I was Home.