I wrote this story on December 17, 2009. We had just finished our homestudy and were in a season of waiting. I had plenty of time to contemplate where we have come from and where our road was now leading us. It was a key time of reflection and renewed hope. This is our story:
Once upon a time, there was a girl. She waited a long long time for her prince, longer than most. Some days it seemed he may never come. But it did. One day, her Dad said, “Daughter, a boy has come to court you. He wants to make you his own.” The girl was so happy. It was the prince she had been dreaming of. Their courtship was quick. The wedding was large and beautiful. Many years later, people were still talking about it.
When they returned from their newlywed adventure, they opened their gifts, and settled in to their small rented cabin in the woods. They were very happy. The only thing that would make them happier was a new prince or princess to call their very own. After awhile they bought a house. It had two bedrooms. “This will be just right for our new prince or princess.” And they started to fix it up. The years went by, however, and the room for the new prince or princess sat empty. And the boy and the girl were very sad. Sometimes they were even mad. Their fairy tale start seemed like long long ago.
Their friends were getting new princes and princesses, and throwing big parties for them. After awhile, the girl especially, didn’t like going to the parties anymore. Her sadness was growing and the boy didn’t know what to do about it; it only made him sad too. People would ask them, “When are you going to get a new prince or princess?” and the boy and girl would look at each other sadly, and quietly reply, “We don’t know.” And one day followed another. So many days went by, in fact, that people stopped asking, and the boy and girl didn’t mind. It was easier to not talk about it.
One day, the boy and girl decided to ask a medicine man for help. The medicine man was very kind and very knowledgeable about how to get a new prince or princess. The boy and girl were very happy because the visits gave them hope. They were diligent to do everything the medicine man said, even when some things were painful. Over the course of two years, the medicine man tried many things but still there was no new prince or princess. “There’s no reason you can’t have a new prince or princess and there is one more thing we can do,” he said, “but it is very costly and it might not work.” By then, though, the boy and girl were very sad again. They didn’t want to try this “one more thing” with no guarantee and they walked away from the medicine man, never to return again. After that, the days were long and very hard. And the days turned into years.
BUT the Great Physician was their friend and He gave them much comfort and strength to face each day.
The boy and girl faced many dragons. Some days, they stood side by side and chased the dragons away. Other days, if the girl was too sad to fight, the boy would chase the dragon away. Sometimes, even the boy was too sad, and the girl would chase the dragons away, always with the help of the Great Physician. The dragons always returned, though, knocking on the door. Sometimes, they were in disguise and tricked the boy and girl into letting them in. Those days were the scariest of all.
Then one day, the boy and girl realized something very important: All this fighting was making them strong. The dragons couldn’t trick them anymore. The boy and girl finally realized that they really were bigger, stronger, and smarter than any dragon. The Great Physician had been teaching them this truth and they didn’t even know it! That was an exciting day… and a great relief.
The boy and girl still wanted a new prince or princess but they had learned to trust the Great Physician and they weren’t sad anymore. One day, the Great Physician came to them and said, “I have a new prince or princess for you. But I have to ask you, do you trust me?” The boy and girl looked at each other. They wanted to answer the question carefully and truthfully. The boy and girl looked at each other and then turned to the Great Physician and said, “Yes, we trust you.” Then, the Great Physician smiled and said, “That’s good, because, if you will follow me, I am going to lead you down a long unfamiliar road. Some parts of the road will be bumpy but in the end, the road will lead you to your new prince or princess.” The boy and girl were really listening. “This road will take you to a far off land, where everything is different. In this land are many little ones waiting for a mommy and a daddy.” The girl started to cry a little bit and the boy listened carefully. Their spirits were renewed with hope and joy for the future. Then the Great Physician said something very important. He said, “Now I am changing your names. You are no longer ‘boy’ and ‘girl.’ You are ‘mommy’ and ‘daddy.’ You must see yourselves this way.”
And so, the new mommy and daddy followed the Great Physician to the faraway land where the new prince or princess waited for them. The new mommy and daddy weren’t sad anymore and they realized that happily ever after does happen, even when there are big bumps in the road.
… the new mommy and daddy are still on that road to the faraway land and this fairy tale is still being written.
