A Royal Storybook Ending.

The allure of royalty! Real-life or storybook, princesses are like superheroes to girls of every age – four to 74. And what’s not to like?! They are beautiful, adorn the most gorgeous dresses, are brimming with virtue and kindness – and always get the guy.

The first Disney princess, Snow White, melted the hearts of seven small woodsmen and one fair prince in 1937. Since then, 17 more rags-to-riches fairytales have regaled little girls everywhere – especially, Crossroads Hospice & Palliative Care Patient Margaret Davidson.

Cinderella, wearing her pale blue dress and riding stealthily to the ball in a pumpkin stagecoach, captured Margaret’s heart years ago. She read the story of Cinderella and her evil stepsisters over and over again – never tiring of the tale, never outgrowing its destined romance.

Margaret grew up, but remained young at heart. Innocent, trusting, boundlessly loving – Margaret lived childlike though belied by her age in years. She still giggles, gives kisses, loves sweets. Even now, there was nothing that Margaret wanted more than to meet her favorite princess in person.

So, with the wave of a wand and a “bibbidi-bobbidi-boo,” Cinderella appeared! Margaret looked like she might faint, but then squealed with delight. Her sisters, too, watched the magic unfold, a gift as meaningful to them as to Margaret.

Crossroads served a princess cake topped with pillows of white frosting and played Disney movies, but Margaret didn’t notice. She held the white-gloved hand of her idol. She stared into her eyes, unblinking. As Cinderella said while dancing with Prince Charming, “It feels like a dream, better than a dream.”

Like Margaret, Cinderella saw the world not how it is, but how it could be. So when she hugged Cinderella goodbye, Margaret did not grow despondent. She just smiled wide, certain of a happy ending.