Do you know me? Do you recognise me? Oh, if not then think of Cinderella, then think of her stepsister. Yes I am Cinderella’s stepsister and that is my identity it seems, for you know her and not me. Ironic, isn’t it that you judge me without knowing me or my story, you applaud when the shoe fits my stepsister and you condemn me when I try it on, but you have never even put your foot in my shoes. It is me who is made to try on Cinderella’s shoe, for she is the one they all talk about and fade me into the background as if I am no one, just her stepsister.
She is beauty and she is grace. I am ugly and I am crude. Well, I don’t mind being who I am. I am not ashamed of it, no matter how much you try to make me feel guilty, feel unimportant. She sings oh so sweetly and I make your ears hurt when I play the flute, yes this is true, but did you ever try to find out if I have a talent for sports, or maybe I might be of a scientific temperament. No, no you look for beauty, beauty and obedience. Did I strike a sensitive nerve? Don’t tell me, just think in your own heart. Don’t you adore my stepsister for her obedience, for doing as she is told. I am not obedient and I am damned well proud of it. I have a brain of my own. I will use it. I will investigate the mystery of this world and I will dissect everything you ask me to do and find out its meaning in all terms and only if my intelligence approves of it, I will do what you ask me to do. I will not shut away my will for your pleasure.
She may marry the prince and live happily ever after. I do not envy her. Yes, I was a little jealous of this at first and see, I have no scruples in admitting that, but now I will build a kingdom of my own. I will be queen in my own right, I will have my happy ending too. She is frozen in time, locked away in the story. I have leapt out of it, I have traveled through time. And here I am, I am the modern woman. I have brains and wits to study neuroscience and theoretical physics. I have the courage to go to wars, to conquer mountains. I have the stamina to win the Olympics and I start by winning the high school trophy. I have the talent to write enchanting poems and I might even write vigourously thought provoking novels.
I am not shy, sweet, beautiful, graceful, agreeable. I am bold, I am infuriated, I am difficult, I am intelligent and if you just try to see it, you will see that I am elegant, I am exquisite and I am magic. Although birds may not sing to me when I wake up, I know, in his heart the devil says- “Oh crap! she is awake!” when I open my eyes every morning. You think you have destined me to be forgotten, to be known only as Cinderella’s Stepsister, but you just wait, I am going to write my own story, so captivating that it will leave you speechless.
Painted In Words 