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Cancer and Cinderella

Sunday, March 22, 2015

I finally got to see the new Cinderella movie today. I had been anticipating it and was not disappointed! It was so good, and I definitely recommend seeing it!

Cinderella has always been my favorite princess. If I'm honest, it is probably because her movie lacked anything scary. I was easily scared as a kid so I did not love Snow White or Sleeping Beauty or Ariel. When I was sent to my room when I was little I thought Ursula was going to come get me!

I never thought that I had anything in common with Cinderella until I was watching the movie today. Cinderella had a "perfect" life at first. After some sad events, her stepmother comes in and turns her world upside down. The life she knew and loved was gone. Sound familiar? It did to me. In my life, cancer is the stepmother. Not that my life was perfect before this (by any means), but it was familiar and it was mine.

One difference between me and Cinderella in the given situations, is that Cinderella takes it for way too long. I totally am all about the whole "be kind" motto, but I don't think it applies to cancer. Honestly, I would have cracked the first time anyone told me that I have to climb 9 billion stairs to live in an attic. I'm not going to take that kind of crap (for lack of a better word) from this disease. I am not going to let it control me or keep me from any royal balls. Me and my friend Katie both agreed that forgive would not have been the "F" word we would have said to the stepmother at the end. And I will definitely not forgive cancer for what it is doing to my life. Good for you Cinderella, but not for me (at this point in this situation at least).

I wish it was easy as having my fairy godmother "bippity bobbity boo" this away, but sadly it isn't. It is going to look more like the scene where the magic is wearing off, and she is being thrown around inside the pumpkin. It is going to be bumpy and hard, no doubt about that.

Another difference, is of course, the prince. Her prince was a handsome British guy with the bluest eyes ever, while mine will be a bag of toxic liquid called chemo. Chemo...Kit....pretty close...kinda. He walked in and saved her from her stepmother and chemo will save me from mine.

While happily ever after isn't guaranteed like it was for Cinderella, I know it is all going to end well. I may not get my own kingdom, but I will get my life back. Will it be the exact same? No. I don't think anyone can go through something like this and go back to exactly who they were before. I will be a newer, improved version of myself. Cancer is not going to stop me from whatever is in my future (which could be a kingdom....ya never know :) ).

On another note, I have decided to adopt the motto of the movie for my life. The words "have courage and be kind" are so powerful, especially to me at this point in my life. I am trying my best to do both of those things. I am going into completely unknown territory, but I will do so with the most courage I can. I talked before about how important it is to be kind, so I won't elaborate on that one. Kindness goes a very long way, as evidenced in Cinderella (and life).

I did not expect for the movie to impact me like this. I have seen Cinderella 500 million times. The words "have courage and be kind" are exactly what I needed to hear and what I want this adventure to be about. I will do my best to portray that motto, and I hope you all will too.







2 comments:

  1. Beautiful, Samantha! Cinderella was always my favorite princess, too.

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  2. "The world breaks people, but sometimes, afterward, we grow strong at the broken places."
    One of my favorite quotes (Ernest Hemingway)
    Ilene

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