I still remember. At five years of age, December 1991 - I was so excited for this particular trip to the movies. Finally, there was a film about a Princess who was just like me (by the logic that she too, had brown hair, so clearly we were the same person) - and loved to read. GASP. I loved to read! My big sister Laura took me to see 'Beauty and the Beast', and there I fell in love. Not just with Belle, but with roses, books, enchanted castles, ballrooms, and running through fields singing. I still remember giggling uncontrollably at this part (Go to 3:50!). And today - for the first time in over a decade, 'Beauty and the Beast' comes back to theatres in 3D. And I'm seeing it at 9:30 tonight!
From then on, my friends, family, Kindergarten class, and strangers on the TTC were forced to listen to me sing every 'Beauty and the Beast' song. I began to love reading even more and believed if I read enough, I would actually turn into Belle and become a Princess. The walls in my room were plastered with Belle posters. Five years later, my sister took me to BATB again - this time to the musical onstage at the Princess of Wales Theatre, where again, I fell in love. This song was and still remains one of my favourites of all time:
Back on the thought of believing that someday I'd become Belle... it may have taken fourteen years - but it did happen! For three years, I had the privilege of doing parties, charity events, and shows, as the Princess I looked up to. I couldn't imagine a bigger dream come true, than getting paid to don the iconic yellow dress, sing those songs, and make the imaginations of children run wild. More about Princessing in the Fridays to come!
Little has changed since 1991. Every time I see the movie, when that first haunting chord strikes, as the image of the castle peers through the forest - I fall in love all over again. To this day, roses are my favourite flower, 'Beauty and the Beast' remains my all-time favourite movie, and yes, I still run through fields singing. My heart still flutters when Belle descends down the staircase, beginning the perfect, wonderful ballroom scene as Angela Lansbury serenades me with 'Tale as Old as Time'. Any time I'm sick, this film promptly gets thrown into the VCR (Yes, I still proudly have my VHS 'Disney Classics' tape). But my favourite part is the heart of this story: that beauty is much more than meets the eye - and that if one is shown love, even the darkest of souls can unearth goodness.
I don't need the 3D. This story has always been three-dimensional without the fancy effects and ginormous yellow glasses.
Aww, this is a beautiful story! I love! :)
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