Once upon a time, in a land far, far away, there lived a beautiful young princess. Although the princess lived in a shining castle, and had everything a childish girl’s heart could desire, she longed for the day when she would be older, old enough to fall in love. Fall in love with a HANDSOME prince who would carry her off into the sunset and lead her to a life where she would live HAPPILLY EVER AFTER.

When the young princess grew to be a BEAUTIFUL young women she met the PRINCE charming of her dreams. They FELL IN LOVE at FIRST SIGHT, were married in a beautiful palace and lived HAPPILY EVER AFTER.

The story of the BEAUTIFUL princess and the DASHING prince was immortalized forever through a classic FAIRY TALE passed down from generation to generation. The story was told to young girls everywhere teaching them that their ULTIMATE HAPPINESS could only come with the arrival of the PERFECT PRINCE CHARMING. Never again were girls able to be themselves INDIVIDUALS successful.

……………………………………………………………………………………… except really,  that’s not what happened.

After hearing the story, Sophia became the VALEDICTORIAN of her class

She went to HARVARD, full scholarship and never looked back.  

Olivia became an aerospace scientist; she launched a ROCKET into the sky

Ava designed a vaccine that was the first of its kind.

Emma achieved her dreams when she was finally with her husband, Azagba

Decades later Madison MARRIED the love of her life too, but HER name was Isabella.

See, the truth is fairy tales contain lessons, truths for society

They’re not restrictive, repressive, they don’t make us blind. 

At worst, they’re simply a diversion, a break from reality.

Any negative impacts they have, are simply abnormalities.

Because when Cinderella went to the ball

She wasn’t a heroine, looking to be rescued. 

Her story is the ultimate tale of good vs. evil

And the triumph that ensues.

Her story shows that we can make GOOD CHOICES when faced with tough circumstances

And that friendship can be found when one chooses to look for it.

When she was treated UNFAIRLY and UNKINDLY

Instead of returning EVIL for EVIL

She looked past the faults in others

And treated them as people..

Now that’s a lesson that society today should appreciate

Because now, instead of forgiving, we just

hate Hate HATE

When we think we’re wronged, we want only REVENVE

We don’t care who feels it, as long as

SOMEONE’S LIFE ENDS.

We’re instantly happy with the news from CNN

Telling us that this time it’s over

The enemy has finally been avenged.

First it was Hussein, then bin Laden

But where are we now?

We’re still in Pakistan.

See, we can’t seem to .realize that a concept can never win

That this “WAR ON TERROR” will never make amends.

If society stopped shunning the truths in fairy tales

Maybe, maybe THEN we’d be able to make the world well.

Because see, Snow White, she was a beautiful princess

She had a pure heart, and she had a sweet disposition.

But when her enemies wanted her DEAD the reason she could succeed

Was because instead of giving them HELL she prayed for their peace.

The stepmother pursued her, she wanted TO KILL her

Her heart was so sweet she became a martyr

In the end, however, Snow White was revived

Due to her strength, and the faith she ultimately lived by.

So now, maybe what we should consider

Is helping our enemies instead of making them more bitter.

By giving them aid while they lay dying

What we’re doing in the end is preventing them from striking.

Now, I’m not saying what we need to do

Is give to those who abuse their people too

Quite the opposite, instead to prevent future enemies    

We must approach the civilians and fulfill their necessities.

Right now our actions are causing the INNOCENT to DIE

We want nuclear weapons gone, but do we really see the price?

Our sanctions that WE put into place aren’t advancing our mission

But they’re ending more lives than possible by nuclear fission.  

If only our society could see that instead of KILLING

We need to start GIVING

If we stopped shunning the truths in fairy tales

Maybe then, maybe THEN we’ll make the world well.

Because in fairy tales, they don’t treat FIRE WITH FIRE

Instead of seeking revenge, putting LIVES ON THE WIRE

They focused on LOVE <3

And Happily Ever Afters

Now that’s not saying the morals entrenched are not true

The stories teach courage, kindness, faithfulness too

But from the most basic level, it’s easiest to see

That in fairly tales, LOVE beats War

And because of that people are free.

So in today’s world instead of criticizing

Jasmine for failing in love

Sleeping Beauty for getting married 

          The Little Mermaid for choosing one good life over another

          And Belle for putting compassion over everything else.

Instead of saying THESE ACTIONS are ruining our SISTERS

We need to LOOK at our own actions.

LOOK AT THE BIGGER PICTURE.

Because the truth is PRINCE CHARMINGS aren’t harming our nations

HAPPILLY EVER AFTERS don’t give children nightmares 

But turning on the television and seeing the WARS and Pain and SUFFERING and guns

That proves that the world will NEVER BE FAIR.

So what we need to do

Instead of CRITICIZING fairly tales

Is look to them as guidance

As an essence of good morals.

In everything we do, as a nation and as individual

We must look BACK towards these stories to help

OUR WORLD HEAL.