Lying in bed with Z just when I thought she was finally asleep in the dark quiet after chatting about how we had successfully made her pandemic birthday one to be remembered by a few of her favorite things (ranging from sushi and ice cream cake to distanced family and friends and from a volunteer project to a new sewing machine from her doting aunt), she peeped: “Mommy?”
(I guess it was actually me who was about to fall asleep.)
Z: “Do you know why Belle isn’t my favorite princess?”
Me: “No, why?” (Thankful it was something light, because you never know the weight of the words that will follow the sweet, thoughtful asking for you that will either make your heart melt with maternal love or ache with maternal concern…in an instant.)
Z: “Belle’s not my favorite princess because when the villagers make fun of her for teaching children how to read, she doesn’t stand up for herself.”
Me: I say nothing because I’m blown away by this 9pm Sunday Special of ‘How to Live Your Best Life with Lessons for Mommy from the View of a Newly Turned 8-Year-Old.” And because it actually was a conversation topic that seemed a lot heavier than light chitchat.
Pause.
Me: “What do you mean? And how did you just think of this?”
Z: “They ask her what she is doing when they see her teaching a girl how to read and she doesn’t really say anything when they make fun of her for it. I mean she was kind, but she didn’t stand up.
And I don’t know how I just thought of this. I just did.”
Me: “I guess the movie shows us how she becomes brave.”
Z: “Well, no, because she was brave with the Beast right away. She wasn’t really afraid of him.”
Me: “There are all kind of brave. Standing up for yourself is one, saying nothing at all when more words just aren’t going to help a situation is another, and facing a beast is of course a big one, too. Not everyone has all of the types of brave-especially not all at the same time.”
Z: “Yeah well in the movie ‘Brave,’ Merida just screams a lot. Being loud doesn’t mean you’re brave either. I think Aurora has always been my favorite because she just does what she wants herself. I don’t even know why we call them princesses!”
I don’t know why we call them princesses, either. What I do know is that this one (my personal favorite) is wise beyond her years, wise beyond mine, and I cherish every lesson she teaches me.
She is kind.
She is brave.
And she sparkles brighter than any tiara.
May she always stand up.
Photo by Mariana Yarritu
