(Be warned: this post may contain some “cheesy and slightly saccharined” content.)

I saw this post from my notes days ago in Facebook and, well, just thought I’d share a bit about my life and how love came and went, came to be and stayed for good.

Seriously, I was back-reading on this decade-old article of mine and all the while it made me feel kinda embarrassed, yet, amused at the same time. I was literally chuckling. Enclosed are two Chapters and I had to reconstruct just so to improve them a bit. Do check them out if you’re cheesy enough.

Chapter I. Cinderella Man (2005)

Once upon a time, I fell in love with a man named Cinderella. Though my love for him was limitless, it seemed that his time for me wasn’t. Everyday seemed like a fairy tale come true, until the clock would then strike at 4:00 in the afternoon. Chariots would then return to pumpkins, and horses to rats. How I wish he’d leave something behind before he would go, like a pair of shoes or something, but nothing instead. All that’s left was I, always I in an old empty castle with heavy curtains and a TV with boring channels. All the while, I would try everything to convince myself that my prince would return, if not for me, then even just for his pair of snickers somehow.

I could not do anything about it. He was like under some spell; a some-what beautiful “family spell” that bounds him to wholeheartedly do everything they ask and endlessly comply with every single duty. He’s quite a son, actually. At times, he does everything out of love, and sometimes just to get out of the chores immediately. After every hard day’s work, he regains his freedom. And then at last, he’s mine… well, at least for just a couple of hours.

A man in his 20’s… What should he be like? Independent (at least almost), should be respected for his own decisions, has a strong heart, and should be loved just the same. But most importantly, he should be treated like a real MAN. If not totally untied from his parents’ cuddles and kisses, should somehow be loosely gripped from their hands; more like a hand-shake hold or a hug while still having to keep the essence of family-hood.

A man in his 20’s my Cinderella is, and he’s almost all the man he ought to be according to these ideal traits; but still he’s different, actually. Although still not having claimed all of the said traits, he has this one thing which surpasses all of what a real man has – A SUBMISSIVE HEART. A heart as soft just as he would choose to obey rather than to refuse regardless of everything he now has to boast for. A heart for God and his family comes first before anything else. Even before me. And I so much respect that.

Though I often feel like a part-time princess in his life, what I know is that every inch of his battle for sacrifice concerns me. For now, I just have to endure each pain that our 4 o’clock parting-habit brings and the emptiness that I feel while alone in my castle, because I know it would be worth enduring. I know he loves me just as much as he wants to have a good life for the both of us, and for that, I can say that I am now glad and most satisfied.

My Cinderella-man and I have gone through a heck of fairy tale that we’ve already seen different faces of Love itself. But at this moment, love disguises as something else — LETTING GO — but only for some time, I hope. It taught me one thing so strange, yet so true; Love means opening up my hands, letting go, and letting him become what he has to be – MINE soon… Perhaps.

So… how would the story end? I really have no idea. One thing’s for sure, it might not be a “happily ever-after” kind of story, for in this world of reality, there’s no room for fairy tales; you just got to have to make the best out of love, life, and even sacrifices.

-end of Chapter I-

Want to know what happened next? Proceed to Chapter II!

I’d love to know your feedback on this one!