Glass Slippers & Glass Ceilings

There are moments I remember, daydreams

Of gold carriages pulled by white horses,

Magic spells, and dancing shoes made of glass;

A story of a maid who scrubs and dusts

Then becomes a princess and gets a crown.

These memories of whispered messages;

***

Hushed words of hideaways and messages

Of our castles built with bed sheets and dreams.

We wore clip-on earrings and paper crowns,

A broomstick with a yarn mane was our horse.

At night we’d lift up the edge of the dust

Ruffle checking for monsters, and find glass

***

Marbles. Notes scribbled in crayon in a glass

Jar, floating in the drainage ditch, messages

In unlikely bottles, some pixie dust;

All meant for Neverland, our Lost Girls’ dream;

A land in the stars where we’re free to horse

Around, immortal flower wreaths for crowns.

***

A decade later we’ve got our gold crowns –

Capping our teeth. We’ve traded our glasses

For contacts, it’s too expensive to horse-

back ride, and we talk with text messages.

You are six inches taller now, our dreams

Have changed a time or two, but when we dust

***

Our eyes with shimmer, we still think of dust

That can make us fly. They tell us the crown

Of success is at least six figures. Dreams

About corner offices, walls of glass,

Should be our aim they say. “Send a message,

And make your mark!” they shout until they’re hoarse.

***

But we still yearn for knights astride horses.

We’ll play their game and when we fall, we’ll dust

Ourselves off, serve our time as messengers

For the boss; we’ll climb the ladder and crown

Our checkers to win the game; break through glass

Ceilings of our own, all the while dreaming

***

Of wild horses, mermaids, and jeweled crowns,

Not forgetting the message of our dreams:

Love lasts, towers of glass crumble to dust.

***

Author's note - This poem was inspired by childhood memories I share with my younger sister and by reflections on the reality that we’ve both grown up. I’m entering it in The Dragon Beside Me challenge because my sister embodies all the traits a dragon represents: "strength, love and determination, mixed with a little sprinkle of enigmatic magic dust."

She might be younger, but I look up to her literally and figuratively.

Her strength impresses me constantly in her ability to take on new challenges. Most recently she completed a pharmacy school rotation in Paraguay and graduated with her doctorate of pharmacy. Accomplishments that leave me in wonder of her tenacity. She is a leader too, full of a harnessed fire.

I am fortunate to be a recipient of her fierce love and loyalty. She is thoughtful and intentional in all that she does. Having her as my maid of honor at my wedding last year was a memory I will always cherish. She is both my sister and my dearest friend.

My sister is incredibly determined and works so hard to be diligent in all that she does. She has pursued academic excellence relentlessly and dedicated herself to being skilled in her field. She honors her commitments and does not neglect what matters most.

As for “enigmatic magic dust”, she exudes it everywhere she goes. She has the most glorious sense of humor and can leave a room full of family and friends breathless from laughing so hard. People are drawn to her caring spirit and genuine kindness.

I have been beyond blessed to have had her beside me throughout the roller coaster of growing up and venturing into adulthood. From dressing up in matching Halloween costumes to phone calls from different states, she has always been and still remains my partner in crime.

My sister is the dragon beside me and I can't wait to see how she continues to inspire me and others in the years to come.