Cinderella
-- Seizing
the Chance for Change
by Wendy Paris
Cinderella, as beautiful inside as out, is left at the
mercy of her malicious stepmother and two stepsisters upon the death
of her father. They treat her like a maid.
The king throws the bash of the millennium. Of course,
Cinderella isn't invited. Evil step-relations exploit her
considerable artistic skills to help them doll up for the big
event.
Enter Fairy Godmother, an Old World fashion
consultant-cum-magician who magically transforms Cinderella into
Claudia Schiffer in a Valentino dress. A random pumpkin becomes a
Porsche, and Cinderella races to the ball.
The prince gets one look at Cinderella and forgets
about all the other girls in the kingdom. He asks her to dance every
number. At midnight, Cinderella cuts out, per Fairy Godmother's
orders. She's in such a rush that she doesn't retrieve the glass
slipper that has fallen from her foot.
The prince is devastated by her departure. It's as if
her image has been burned on his brain. He sends his assistants all
over town with the glass slipper, looking for Cinderella. They go
door to door, chanting, 'If the shoe fits, he will commit.'
Everyone wants to be a millionaire. But the slipper
fits only Cinderella. The prince rushes to her fireside and whisks
her off to live happily ever after.
The most commonly told version of 'Cinderella' was
published in 1697 by the French intellectual Charles Perrault (using
his ten-year-old son's name as a pseudonym). Perrault was the first
to record many of the well-known fairy tales of European oral
tradition. The story may have originated in China, where a small
foot was a sign of beauty.
The Savvy Dater Reading
Yes, Cinderella had the worst job in the city, but she
did it diligently. She didn't waste hours in useless rancor, letting
bitterness and regret give her an ulcer, bad skin, and deep brow
furrows. She knew 'cinder maid' was just her job title, not her life
description.
When the fairy godmother appeared, Cinderella had the
courage to seize an opportunity to change. She didn't peer at the
fairy godmother suspiciously, snarling, 'You know what they say, 'If
something looks too good to be true, it probably is.' Leave me to my
cinders. I'm perfectly happy with my state of habitual discontent.'
Cinderella knew she was worthy of happiness, despite a string of bad
luck so long, a lesser woman would have hanged herself with it.
Once she arrived at the ball, Cinderella didn't hide
inside her pumpkin carriage, crying, 'But no one attends a party
alone! Everyone will think I'm a loser!' She threw her shoulders
back, lifted her chin, and marched in the door.
Cinderella believed in the power of a perfect
dress.
She did not waste time gloating over her step-siblings
in her designer duds. She knew that the best revenge is having too
much fun to think about retaliation.
When the prince asked her to dance, Cinderella did not
shriek and run to the ladies' room to check her lipstick. She agreed
to dance. And you can bet that while spinning in his arms, she
didn't trip into a fit of insecurity, criticizing him in an attempt
to boost her self-esteem, saying, 'You know, anyone can inherit a
kingdom. I work for my living.'
At the stroke of midnight, she didn't cling to the
prince's hand, crying, 'Save me from my miserable life!' She had the
confidence to know that if he liked her, he'd come calling.
Which, of course, he did. And when he came, she did
not listen to her friends, who all rang up, saying, 'Why is he
shooting so far beneath his mark, Cinderella' I mean, no offense,
but what's wrong with him that none of the royal chicks will date
him?' She knew the details of her relationship better than her
friends did, trusting her own experience with her man, not
gossip.
When the prince galloped up on his white horse,
Cinderella did not shout, 'Hey man, back off! I can drive my own
damn steed!' She decided that if it was that important to him to
whisk her off her feet, she'd let him whisk.
Relationship Rules, In Brief
- Know your inner value, no matter how worthless your external
situation may seem.
- If something looks too good to be true, it can still be
true.
- Don't be afraid to go to a party alone.
- Never underestimate the power of dressing your best.
- Focus on finding your own happiness, not on avenging past
slights.
- Get out on the dance floor!
- Don't let your own insecurity drive you to criticize
others.
- Keep your obligations and promises to others, even if some
handsome guy wants you to dance all night.
- Ignore rumors and doubts of suspicious friends. Judge a
person based on your own experience with him.
- Work on becoming your own best adviser.
- If a man wants to sweep you off your feet, go ahead and let
him. Just because he's gallant doesn't mean he wants you to quit
your job and take up knitting.
Fairy-tale Formula Rule 1:
Don't let past bad luck cloud your vision of
a brighter future. Have the courage to believe in a better
life.
 This
article is excerpted from:
Happily Ever After: The Fairy-tale Formula for Lasting Love
by Wendy Paris.
Reprinted with permission of the publisher,
HarperResource, an imprint of
HarperCollins Publishers. ©2001.
Info/Order
this book.
About The
Author
Wendy
Paris graduated with a BA in literature and creative writing from the
Honor's Program at the University of Houston. Prior to writing
Happily Ever After,
she coauthored
Words for the Wedding.
She's also written about relationships, love, marriage and honeymooning
for a variety of publications, including Glamour, Self,
Brides, Modern Bride and Fitness. She has also worked
as a TV reporter and producer and newspaper reporter and editor.
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