I love reading. I go through books at a clip, have them piled around my house, and if I could find a beast well-endowed with a library, I would turn the tables and hold him captive so I could have my way with it. The library. Not the beast.
When I was younger, I was inspired by the self-secure attitudes of Disney princesses. Say what? It's true. Cinderella was an undying optimist. It wasn't about some dude saving her. She was certain that her life would improve, so she worked hard and even when all seemed lost, it wasn't. In one telling, she basically says "fuck this," steals some clothes off a laundry line and crashes the ball. Boss move, Cindy!
Ariel dreamed of a life outside the sea. She found a way out of the water, persisted in the face of a curse and risked it all to get her chance. Doesn't matter that she got a happy ending. What matters is the middle--the work she was willing to put in to get what her heart most desired. I can tell you that navigating a surprise disability while trying to make yourself understood and have your needs net is no small deal.
And Belle. Well, she was smart, kind and compassionate to the point she was able to see through the grumbling of an overprivileged blowhard and shift the situation in her favor. She got the library! And she did it by refusing to allow him to trample her emotionally or physically. She was a woman who let no man (or beast) keep her down. Okay, maybe I wouldn't put up with a beast for a library. But there is a lot to learn from Belle. She looks straight through all the beast's blustering, tells him nope and lives life with him on her terms. Lean in, Belle!
The magic part? It's fun, but it's the least important. What matters is all of these women remained true to themselves and took the chances that lead them to their happy ending. They were proactive even if they were largely written out of their own stories. And their actions in the face of overwhelming odds are greatly inspiring.
I'm not excusing the many problematic tropes present in the Disney retellings of these stories, but they are interesting to reflect on as both a bit of history and brain food for when we need future resolve. Look, if a Disney princess can do it, so can I. The odds are stacked ever not in their favor, and yet they prevail.
From what surprising places do you derive inspiration?
images via pixabay.com