A Bedtime Story

“Alright, my dear. I think it’s about time we get some sleep.”

“Daddy, you promised to tell me a story before bed!”

“Well, what would you like to hear? Something about robots, or fairies, or faraway planets? Maybe even all three?”

“You pick a story, daddy.”

“Me? Alright, my dear. I think I know just the one.”

“Let’s see here. Where should I begin?”

“Just say, ‘once upon a time.’ And then go on and on. It’s not too hard, daddy. You can do it! ”

“Well, then. Here goes: once upon a time, in a world not so different from our own, there was a boy. He was very young, about your age, when our story begins. But for a little boy, he was a big dreamer. Still, there was just one dream that was his greatest. See, all he wanted to do was grow up and change the world. He’d be an astronaut, or the president, or maybe a star athlete. He wasn’t sure exactly what he wanted to do. He just knew it had to be something big. That was all he knew for certain.”

“I like that. I wanna do a big thing, too.”

“I know. The boy was not much different from you. Just as curious and imaginative.”

“Did you know him, daddy?”

“In a way, yes, I did. Now let’s get back to the story. As time passed, and he grew up, things began to change. He got bigger, stronger, and smarter. Until he was almost grown, and he still didn’t know exactly what he was going to do. But he knew he was ready.

“Then, it was time for him to head to college. He—”

“So now he’s old like you, daddy? He’s not so little like me?”

“No, no. He’s grown now. And he’s off to college, trying to find his purpose in a sea of options. His big thing. And he thinks he’s found it. Yes, he thinks he does. Until he meets a girl.”

“Was she a princess?”

“No, but she was the closest thing to a princess he’d ever met. She was beautiful and kind and so smart, and strong and brave—”

“She sounds like a princess to me.”

“Maybe she was. He didn’t know. All he knew was that she made him happy, more than being an astronaut or president ever would.

“They spent a lot of time together, getting closer and closer. The boy was in love, and for a while, his dream, his big thing, was no longer important. He was so focused on the girl, so consumed by his love for her. And it wasn’t a bad thing, not at all, but a lot changed in that time.”

“Did they get married?”

“They did. They got married and it was a beautiful wedding, fit for royalty. So they continued living together, both of them still in school. However, now that they were married, the boy began to fall back into his old dream. And that meant, of course, that he was back to hoping he could change the world. He put so much time and effort in his studies and his work in pursuit of that dream. Sometimes he’d ignore the girl, now his wife, for days as he got caught in his cycle.”

“That’s not so nice.”

“Yes, he was being pretty mean. And he probably would have kept on like that if things hadn’t changed so suddenly. It turns out, they were going to have a child. A daughter, a princess, of their own.”

“Is this where the fairies come? And robots?”

“No, not quite. Not in this story. They were preparing to have their child, but the boy still made very little time for his wife. Then, just days before the baby was due, she fell tragically ill. Only at that moment did the boy finally abandon his schooling and career for her. But by then it was too late.”

“Oh no, daddy! What happened?”

“Well, they fought long and hard to save her, but eventually they received bad news. The princess—his wife—wasn’t going to make it. So she told them to do everything they could to save her baby. And she made the boy—her husband—promise to devote his life to that little girl.”

“How sad! Oh, don’t cry daddy.”

“I’m alright, darling. It is sad, isn’t it?”

“It is. But is the princess gone?”

“Yes, she did pass. But she’s still with them everyday. In the moon and the stars, in the kiss of the breeze and the crash of the waves, in the smallest of moments and the greatest of storms.”

“How magical! But how are the boy? And the baby?”

“Well, the boy kept his promise. He loved their baby princess with all his heart. He cared for her and worked hard for her, but most of all, he made sure to always put her first, before all his work and plans. No matter what. He wasn’t going to make that mistake again.”

“Is he an astronaut now? Or a king? Or a superhero.”

“No, he never did claim some fancy, world-renowned title. He didn’t even end up with a world-changing career. He’s living an average life. With an average amount of friends and an average job. But he’s happy, so incredibly happy. He knows that he might not be saving the world or exploring space. But he’s doing something big. For his daughter, who he loves more than anything. He’s giving her the best life he can. So that one day, she can grow up and do something big too. In his eyes, that’s the greatest thing he could ever do. And while he wishes they could all be there together, he’s grateful for the amazing life he does have. And his amazing daughter, the bravest, kindest, smartest, strongest princess he’s ever known. Just like her mother. And… 

“Well, didn’t you fall asleep fast… 

“And he would never ask for anything more, because he knew this is where he was meant to be.

“Goodnight, princess.”