A mass of branches and burgundy leaves filter the view from my kitchen window. The Japanese maple tree planted eighteen years ago is reaching for heaven. It reminds me of the thorny brambles that covered Sleeping Beauty's castle when she fell into slumber under that magic spell...you know, the one with the spindle. It doesn't take a spell nor a spindle to allow the brambles to grow tall and wild. No one can find a way past the spiky barrier and, after a while, they stop trying and leave Ms. Beauty to dream about Prince Charming. Only, the prince has his own stuff to deal with. As the years go by, the brambles grow more tangled, the thorns sharper. Everyone and everything in the castle is frozen in time, insulated from outside influence.
You may think this is a safe cocoon, but that's not always the case. Things and people become stagnant without something to stir them up once in a while. A little down time is how we recharge. There is a too-much-of-a-good-thing syndrome and Ms. Beauty may have succumbed to it.
Rumor has it, she was fed up with all the princes in the neighboring kingdoms prancing in on their chargers, trying to impress her. She was tired of the permanent smile on her face. Those fru-fru ball gowns made her skin itch. Her parents kept pushing her to find a nice prince and settle down. She was bored out of her gourd. While hiding in the garden behind a sprawling rosebush, she realized she was not alone. There was this evil fairy godmother type sitting on a tree stump.
"Hey, sugar...what brings you to my neck of the garden? Let me guess...avoiding another prince encounter?"
"They're okay, for princes, but I'd like to just close my eyes and have them all disappear. They are driving me nuts!"
"Heh! I think I can help you out there...meet me in the north tower at midnight."
So, you see, Ms. Beauty may have been compliant with this plot. She was feeling desperate, understandably so. It's the old story...be careful what you wish for. Wishing for a respite from clamoring admirers is natural. Just don't share it casually with evil fairy godmother types. You can recognize them by the long black dress, the sneering smile and the tattered wings...it's a dead giveaway. That's my cautionary tale for the day.
Fortunately, the tree branches outside my window just block the view. It's business as usual inside my castle. I confess, I have been somewhat somnambular for a while, but, lately I'm feeling quite perky. I don't need any hedge clipping to find what I'm looking for. Well, maybe Edward Scissorhands could stop by once in a while. I like topiary...ahh, Johnny Depp. Oh yeah, where was I? I hope Ms. Beauty and Prince Charming did live happily ever after. I'm thinking they have as good a chance as any. Of course, no one can make you happy if you aren't already there. That ever after is a crap shoot. Who knows?
Sometimes, I have to deal with very unpleasant people. For the most part, people are fun to be with, but I interact with quite a few during any given day. By the time I get back to the castle, I enjoy letting my hair down, but that's another story. I relax with assemblage, reading, writing, music...all that stuff. What I treasure is quiet time. Doing nothing, letting my mind go where it will, is a delight. I don't mind having a bramble or two in the garden. There's a wide open path to my front door. All you have to do is knock.
picture~Edward Scissorhands...ahh, Johnny ;)
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