The Princess

Every year my Catholic elementary school had a play, usually with some music and even dancing and singing.  I was never in one, but my sister Maureen was in one that I have never forgotten.  She was to play a beautiful fairy princess, who would appear to sad and lonely children, and show them the way to happiness.  I figured she could never pull this off.  The casting director must have been desperate.  Maureen was the deliverer of sadness and misery in my world.  Witch.  I had to go to the play, since it was a family thing.  I figured Maureen would bomb as a "nice" anything, much less a beautiful fairy princess.  Curtain goes up.  Play goes on.  Maureen sells the role.  She looked beautiful and loving and kind and helpful.  She had a smile that radiated. No frown.  I began to think that maybe underneath the witch there was this beautiful big sister and I lived with her.  I was confused.  My world was unsettled.  When we gathered together with Maureen after the play, I blurted out, "Maureen, you looked beautiful tonight."  She smiled a beautiful smile.  No fangs.  I was still thinking about this later that night as I got ready for bed in my jammies with my teddy bear.  I left my bed and walked over to Maureen's bed where she was sitting filing her claws.  I was not frightened.  She just looked different, not witch-like.  I sat on her bed. She did not push me away.  "Maureen," I said, "I am confused.  Sometimes I get lonely and sad.  Could you be a beautiful fairy princess for me?"  She sat next to me and put her arms around me.  No claws.  "Well little brother," she said, "Anything is possible."

As long as I see only the claws and fangs in others, I will live in my lonely and sad world.  In that world, love is impossible.