In the very beginning, Cinderella could not have been happier. She was already living out her “happily ever after." She had a wonderful home, with a loving mother and father there at all times. Similar to the rest of us, she thought that nothing could get in the way of her ideal life. However, as we’ve all experienced, she got thrown a curveball. Her mother passed away, leaving her father alone before he remarried a horribly cruel woman – Cinderella’s new stepmother. When Cinderella’s father also becomes deceased while away on a trip, Cinderella is left alone with her “Evil Stepmother," and two “Ugly Stepsisters." So, though this was not pleasing or good in any way, Cinderella did not lose hope.
Lesson 1: Stay hopeful.
Though this may not be the exact lifestyle swap for all of us, the idea of something going from superb to dreadful in a matter of minutes is all too relatable. However, the lesson to be learned from this portion of Cinderella’s life is that she always remembered wise words her mother had given her prior to her death – “Have courage, and be kind," which Cinderella did, along with following any orders her new stepmother gave her. This provided for much pushing around from her three new relatives, seeing as her willingness to lend a hand was quickly taken advantage of. As we can also all relate to, being pushed around is the best way to impinge on someone’s confidence and fortitude. However, persistence and humble fortitude are the key factors to remember, as displayed by Disney’s portrayal of a servant girl.
Lesson 2: Have courage, and be kind.
As we all know, Prince Charming is a very prominent character in this story. Prince Charming needed to find a bride, being forced to do so by his elders also in the castle. A decree from the King was sent out to every maiden in the land to attend a ball being thrown at the castle with the sole purpose of finding Prince Charming a lady. When this arrived at Cinderella’s home, her excitement could not be hidden, and she began making a dress right away – getting ahead of herself. In the end, the evil stepmother told Cinderella that she was not to go to the ball, for one of two reasons that is left up to the interpretation of the audience: 1. She truly didn’t see how the Prince would ever take a second look at Cinderella, or 2. She knew Cinderella’s true, sought-after beauty and knew that the spotlight would be taken from her daughters. Either way, Cinderella was forbidden to go to the ball. We’ve all been there. We’ve all been heartbroken due to circumstances forbidding us to be able to participate in something. However, having to just make do with what is given to us is the best way to go to prevent further damage.
Lesson 3: Circumstances may not always be what we wish, but we must be reliant that they will get better soon.
So, Cinderella went back inside and began to cry. She was utterly disappointed until an old woman came out of nowhere, asking Cinderella for a cup of water or something to eat. Despite her decrepit state, Cinderella was nothing but sweet to her, offering her anything she would like. Unbeknownst to her, this older woman was her fairy godmother. This shows us that no matter who it is, we must treat everyone with kindness and genuinely good spirits. No matter their state, race, gender or any other factor.
Lesson 4: We must treat everyone with love and respect.
As we all know, Cinderella did eventually get to go to the ball, and she fell in love with Prince Charming, and he with her. Yes, there was some extra running around in the story due to Cinderella’s rushing out of the ball. Cinderella had to be home by midnight, for that was when she transformed back into her regular, servant-girl state. Though she had a limited amount of time, the Prince was quickly drawn to her beauty and they fell in love.
Lesson 5: Appreciate the time that we have, and to ensure we’re always taking advantage of opportunities as they’re presented to us.
Though this may seem rather silly, it is important to take these simple lessons and implement them into our everyday lives. For, even princesses have to learn these things the hard way.
