I used to hide
Behind snow white and her seven dwarf friends.
I would crouch down and press myself up against
their short cozy frames.
That was where I used to hide
It was so secure to befriend those whose traits were
as outwardly described as their names.
Like my elf friends Happy, Sleepy, Grumpy, and Dopey
That where I used to hide
was an inviting place to be

It was just so simply- secure
to stand between my favorite seven fairy tale creatures
and become camouflaged by their crowd
netted in the warmth of their bulk
and together we were strong,
never cringing at the judgmental stares of others,
and never ever feeling hurt from any comment made
by those adults who thought they knew everything
about the world
even though they don’t know me
It was so much more enticing to climb up
Rapunzel’s thick golden braid and observe
everyone else’s mundane encounters from my lofty palace.
Far less complex then attempting,
trying with possibility of failure
to join those who clearly did not understand me
and who I am inside
anyway it was so much more exciting to hide away
in a place that only I could see
because where I used to hide was real to me





A land where I become king of my jungle
And saved countless beings from the clutches of Evil
Because, no one thinks lightly of those who save them from harm and no one will mock, scorn, or even tease
those whom they are indebted to.

I used to hide behind my imagination because I was afraid
to me reality was harder to slay then Sleeping Beauty’s malicious dragon.

But then one day the realization of truth came to me
in the form of a gleeful smile and laugh
with one of my closest childhood friends
Ironically it happened as we played yet another imaginary game
involving a spell, a fairy, and a princess’s wicked stepmother.
The occurrence that there is another kind of joy
And its existence is irreplaceable
The fulfillment we feel as we connect with others.
And deep down I knew that this was my fault
The biggest one of my short six years

To have pushed away most unfamiliar faces
And I did it because I was afraid
That was why I used to hide
But now it was time to act
And no longer give in
To myself
There was just too much at stake
too much happiness and joy to miss out on.

And when it dawned on me that perhaps
my own hidden world can be shared with another
someone worthy ,who loves what I love, if at least almost as much
then I was ready to share
My sanctuary full of the adventure, bravery
and boundless sacrifice for true love .
My world where good and evil are so clearly defined
and there is never any confusion as to what should be scorned or mourned
And most importantly
A world which rules that everyone has the right of unconditional acceptance
Without any fear of doubt or question
From others, from strangers

So with the same courage of a knight
setting out to exterminate a cruel and dreaded villain
I set out to conquer my fears
the obstacles which prevented me from befriending others.
Slowly, with a whisper of thanks to those whom it was owed
I crawled timidly out of my niche
Permanently leaving behind my marked place
Which for my entire life had been secured exclusively for me
by my loyal seven l confidants
Thus, reached out searching for companions who had more tangibility to offer
They were there waiting
Ready to accept me
with the concrete friendship that I had been long yearning for

It was no longer time to stay where I used to hide
now was is time to journey
into a new chapter
of childhood