Tutus and Tiaras

The other morning when I went into my daughter’s room to rouse her for the day I had to laugh at the scene set before me. There she was snuggled down into her covers in full Princess regalia. Sometime between putting her to bed the night before and the clock’s striking of 8AM she had been visited and transformed by her Fairy Godmother. Or at the very least, she had snuck out of bed and into her closet to retrieve her favourite dress up outfit.

‘Tis true, I have now joined the ranks of Mothers of Toddler Girls...those brave souls that venture out in public with a decked-out princess in tow. I’m beginning to think it is hardwired into every little girl on earth to aspire in some way to be a princess. The tulle, the silk, the ribbons...it stands to reason that two year old girls may be the reason for the success of “The Bedazzler” back in the Eighties.

In any case, I must admit that I enter this new territory with some reservation. I, myself, have never been much of a fan of the glitz and glam. I lean more toward the blood, sweat and tears of sports and the outdoors. I might have slightly cringed inside when my sister presented my daughter with this regal outfit, and I know for sure that at least once I put the kibosh on my mother-in-law’s attempt at buying some t-shirt that touted, “It’s not easy being a Princess.”

That being said, as I’ve watched her enjoy her beloved princess dress over the past two weeks I have felt my heart soften toward her new togs. It doesn’t hurt that she is as cute as a button in it...but the real kicker is the way her countenance changes as she pulls the frilly fabric down over her head. Instantly she glows. She can’t keep the smile off her face. She walks differently, talks differently...she even treats her little brother differently! It’s as if she knows somehow (at this young age) that the minute she becomes a princess she is unique...set apart...special.

And isn’t that the way it should be? Shouldn’t every girl (big and little) be reminded daily that they are a princess...loved by a KING?! Does it change my countenance to be reminded that I too, am set apart; a member of a chosen generation, a royal priesthood etc. etc.? Does it alter the way I view myself? To be honest, most mornings as I look in my bathroom mirror, "Princess” is not quite what comes to mind. Court Jester maybe...the Palace Maid definitely...but Princess? Not usually. Maybe that needs to change. It couldn’t hurt to let my inner princess shine through once in a while; to remember that while I entered this world a pauper, the Sovereign Ruler saw fit to make me royalty.

Come to think of it, perhaps I’ll sneak into my daughter’s closet this evening and take a turn in the princess outfit. And who knows? Tomorrow when I go grocery shopping I might even borrow the tiara.