Sleeping Beauty

I've always been intrigued by the story of Sleeping Beauty. A child is born and all seems well until she is cursed by a wicked fairy. While the good fairies attempt to lessen the curse, she (and her family) live in fear of the accursed day throughout her growing up. One day it arrives and the whole kingdom descends into the darkness of sleep, to last a hundred years.

Well, I don't think there was a wicked fairy curse in my infancy, but I certainly have lived in fear. I may not be 100 years old yet, but it feels as if I have been in the darkness of sleep for at least that long. Although my life isn't a fairy tale this story helps me hope for better times.

Fortunately, I think the next part of the story is beginning. My awakening from the long sleep wasn't the instant response to the kiss of a handsome prince though, it is a slow waking up to the beauty of the world around me. A world created by the ultimate Prince, the Prince of Peace.

It's not easy to throw off the years of fear, and I often feel the arms of sleep reaching up to pull me back into the darkness. As much as I hate the darkness I also feel comfortable there. The light is unfamiliar and unknown. It's a frightening thing to wake up a heart.

I plan to attend church in the morning. This may not sound like a big deal, but I haven't gone in over a year and I'm terrified. It's time though. I need to become reacquainted with the Prince of Peace. While a church service certainly isn't the only way to do so (and often isn't even the best way), both attending church tomorrow and starting this blog are steps toward being awake.

Thanks for reading my journal today, and I hope that we both wake up in the light tomorrow.