Lavenders Blue - Have Courage and Be Kind Revisited

As you may recall from my first post of the year, I am doing my best to have courage and be kind, a la Cinderella. Well a few nights ago, BYU put on a big outdoor showing of Cinderella, and of course I loved it just as much as I have every time I've seen it before.

And it got me thinking more about courage and kindness. And also this dress. Because seriously. look at it. Oh my gosh, I want to wear it so bad and twirl in it and dance forever.

Okay but in more seriousness, I want you to notice the look on her face. Notice the wonder, the excitement, the anticipation. You know that feeling, when you can feel your breath caught somewhere between your beating heart and your sparkling eyes? When you have something wonderful and exciting right in front of you and you can practically taste it?

Why don't you feel like that right now?

Maybe you'd argue that your life is really ordinary, that every day is basically the same, that there's nothing extraordinary going on right now.

Well why not?

Who do you think is in charge of how extraordinary your life is?

I love the Lavenders Blue song from Cinderella. I've been caught singing it doing laundry, in my car, while doing dishes, and just about everywhere else. I especially love that, after stating confidently that she will be Queen and have her King beside her, she asks "Who told me so, dilly dilly, who told me so?"

The answer:

Having a wonderful future is your choice. All you have to do is have the courage and confidence to believe in yourself, and to do what it takes to reach it.

Cinderella had help, to be sure (and nothing wrong with that! - see here), but she still put herself out there. She still believed in herself and was confident enough to go out there and get what she wanted. And what's more, she did it while being her lovely kind self.

The world often portrays women who go after what they want as fierce, unapologetic, and willing to do what it takes to get where they want to go, including stepping on others.

Kindness, especially in the face of unkindness, shows true strength.

Cinderella was brave. She spoke her mind to a handsome stranger she just met, managing to change his perspective forever. She went to the ball, determined to see Kit again, and she remained true to herself even after she found out he was a prince. She stood up to her stepmother's plan, not caring what happened to herself, but willing to sacrifice in order to keep Kit and the kingdom safe.

Cinderella was kind. She befriended those who others deemed unworthy of attention. She shared what little she had. She helped her stepmother and stepsisters with whatever they asked of her, and she even forgave them for their cruelty.

Who was it that told Cinderella she was capable of all this?

It definitely wasn't her stepmother or stepsisters.

Cinderella chose for herself the life she was going to have, against all odds and against all the circumstances that were preventing it.

So make your own choice. 

Choose to use courage and kindness to create the life you want, the life you deserve. 

Who knows? You might just get a prince out of it. ;)

(If someone gets me this dress I will love you until I die and probably after that as well)