Princessing

When I was three years old, I had already had a best friend whom I loved more than anything.  Her name was Snow White, and she was a princess from a far away land.  She used to live with these seven short guys, but now she lived by me and could pop in whenever she wanted to.  She often went for drives with me.  My little brother Randy would sit in Mom’s lap, and Snow White would sit in my lap.  That’s how we made room for everyone in the truck. 

Snow White graced the top of my third and my fifth birthday cakes.  She appeared in many puzzles, books, and coloring pages I favored.  And she was especially sweet in a book my cousin owned.  I had to tote that book around with me whenever we visited this cousin, and as I was never a graceful gum chewer, I accidentally coated this book with my Wrigley’s Spearmint. 

As I grew up, I began to incorporate some of Snow White’s philosophy into my own life.  Before I had to do household chores, they were fun.  Sweeping and dusting came naturally to me.  I would burst into song whenever I had a broom in my hand!  As I grew up, I grew to hate these chores, especially when I had to do them for myself.  But a little song time with a broom and a kerchief on my head usually got me in the mood.  To this day, whenever I have a lot of household chores, I usually don my overalls, my kerchief (in assorted colors) and start singing (my singing is not the best).  My three favorite songs to sing are “A Dream is a Wish your Heart Makes,” “Whistle While You Work,” and “Once Upon a Dream.”  You’d think that after over twelve years together, I would have shared this side of myself with Joseph, but No!  I have not.

And then this morning, as he was getting ready for work, I was listing off all the things I had to do: wash laundry, clean the house, do the dishes, start a garden.  I started feeling overwhelmed, and said, “This is going to take a lot of Princessing, and I just don’t have it in me.” 

Joseph blinked a couple times, and said, “What?”

Oops, the cat was out of the bag.  So I explained to him what Princessing was, and with a look on his face that told me he was looking at a crazy person, Joseph silently accepted this new information.  I waved him off to work this morning like I always do, but this time I had a broom in one hand and a song in my throat for him.  I don’t expect him to come home for a couple of days …