Being Belle

As most of you know, I have been obsessed with Beauty and the Beast since my 5th birthday when my mom took me out on a special date, just me and her, to see the beloved Disney classic. I can still remember how awed I was when all the candles lit up in a giant chorus line during "Be Our Guest," and how exciting it was to watch it with my mother. It was so magical, and from that day on I knew who I wanted to be.

As the years went by I began collecting just about everything I could possibly get my hands on that had anything to do with Beauty and the Beast. The Christmas I turned six my mom sewed me my very own Belle dress, and I wore it every single day when I came home from school. I remember one time I was eating chocolate pudding in it, and spilled some on the left sleeve, leaving a permanent brown stain on the golden polyester. I treasured that dress because in my mind it truly defined who I was: a beautiful princess with long brown hair, and chocolaty brown eyes. I was Princess Katiebelle. Rider of imaginary horses named Philippe, and reader of books. I could conquer anything, and no beastly man was going to tell me what to do! I used to tell my parents, "When I grow up and go to dances I'm going to tell the boys, 'If you want to dance with a pretty girl, no beggars!'" Princesses never hang down their heads, and neither would I!

When it was time for my first high school prom there was no question in my mind of what my dress was going to look like. I had been devastated the year I turned 11 and could no longer wear my beautiful gold dress. So in the early spring of my junior year Mom took me out on a special date, just me and her, to buy fabric to make a new Belle dress. We scoured the rows and rows of fabric until we found the perfect combination, and then brought it to a seamstress to make my caparison dreams come true.

And then before I knew it I was in college, and looking for a way to make some extra cash without having to spend too much time doing it. I sat brainstorming, and then of course, there was the answer right in front of me. I would get paid to be myself. So I started entertaining little girls' birthday parties as Princess Belle. I can't tell you how amazing it is to walk into a room full of little girls and see their faces light up in delight because you are there. It still makes me tear up a little to think of their sweet hands reaching up to touch my face and to hear them exclaim, "I can't believe it's really you!" It often surprised me when at the end of the party the parents would hand me a check. I'd think, "Oh yeah! This is my job!"

I sit here reminiscing about all of this because today we had a big costume party at my work. Students and parents brought in their children to go trick-or-treating around the building. I wore my beautiful, sparkling Belle dress and greeted little princesses all over again. It was such a joy. As I watched them skipping up and down the halls in their shiny dresses, I could almost see a spunky, 5-year-old girl with two long brown, braided pig-tails, and chocolaty brown eyes. I imagined her rushing straight up at me with a look that said, "I'm Princess Katiebelle. Kindergartner. Rider of imaginary horses and reader of books!"