A Mothers Day Fairy Tale

Once upon a time, there lived a mom.

She was your average standard issued model mother. You know the type; tired all the time, stressed, overworked and underpaid.

One day, this mom found herself with an afternoon all to herself. Her husband had taken the kids shopping, for the next day was Mothers Day and they all wanted to buy her something special. Grateful for the reprieve, the mom laid down on the worn out couch and considered her options.

"Maybe I could start reading my book I've been meaning to get to but never have the time." But as she went to retrieve it from the bedroom, she noticed the weeks worth of laundry overflowing from the clothes hamper. Passing through the kitchen on the way to the laundry room, she noticed a sink full of dirty dishes, toys scattered throughout the house, floors to be mopped, toilets and sinks to be scrubbed, and heaven forbid if she didn't start thinking about defrosting some type of meat for dinner.

"Woe is me", the mother said aloud. She chuckled to herself as she realized that if her little one had been there, the child's favorite game of 20 questions would have undoubtedly followed as the mother would have had to explain the meaning of 'woe'. "I guess I can't be a martyr if no one is here to witness it", so she quickly set to the task of cleaning the house before her helpers returned and slowed her progress.

"Why do I even bother" she said aloud again, this time to the dust bunnies. "Housework never stays done. The floors I mop today will be smudged again tomorrow. There will always be hungry mouths to feed, no matter how many times I cook. Always dirty clothes and dishes to wash. I'm tired of working so hard on something that never stays done. I'm tired of taking care of everyone else. I wish I had a fairy god-mother who would take care of me instead."

No sooner were those words out of her mouth, when 'poof'...a tiny little woman with cotton candy pink bouffant hair and a poofy pink dress to match was at her side, wand intact and ready to use. "Your wish is my command. What is your desire?"

The mother, quite in shock and not sure what it was that she really wanted, said the first thing that came into her mind. "I need a vacation!" "Splendid! I know just the place" the fairy god-mother announced, and with the flick of her wrist, the magic wand transported them to a land far away.

"Here we go sweetie, land of the rising sun. A great place for a fresh start, don't you think?" The mom walked through flooded streets. Torn down buildings and debris was everywhere. Sidewalk shelters housed hundreds of people; crammed together on cots and mats. Pictures of missing or lost loved ones covered their make shift walls. Food was proportionately served as grateful refugees came with humbled hearts to accept the meager offering. "I'm in Japan", the mother thought, "I've always wanted to go to Japan. I've heard the people here are so gracious and have such wonderful manners. I wonder if this horrible tragedy has changed them." It didn't take long before her question was answered, as a small little boy, not much older than her own, smiled up at her as he offered her his bowl of rice. She could hardly make out his face as the tears welled up in her eyes. So much pain, so much sorrow. She could hardly bare it any longer. "Please, let's go" she whispered. "As you wish" said the fairy god-mother, and with another flick of the wrist, they were off.

"Where are we?" the mother wondered aloud as they found themselves walking in crowded dusty streets. Geography was never her strong suit, but by the look of things, she guessed they were somewhere in the middle east. The women they passed were covered from head to toe, always walking behind their husbands and submissive to their demands. All of the shops were segregated, and she noticed the women were not allowed to shop or eat at restaurants with the men. "How awful to be treated less than an equal to your husband" the mom thought. Suddenly feeling very exposed, she was ready to leave before they made a slave-wife out of her.

Scenes of sadness at every destination overwhelmed the mom. Homes and families torn apart from tornadoes and floods. Natural disasters causing heartache to many, poor choices causing greater heartache. Children living on the streets, trying to escape the realities of home life. Parents choosing addictions over their children. Sickness, starvation, drug and human trafficking. Parents and children mistreating each other. Misuse and abuse was way too common. It was more than she could bear.

"Where are you mom? Where are you?" The mother could hear her littlest one calling for her, but she didn't know how to get back to her. "Please fairy god-mother, send me back home. I miss my family. I miss their sticky kisses and endless questions. I miss my sweet husband and his corny jokes. I even miss my dirty house, and will never complain again about having a house to clean and children to feed. I love them, and they love me, and that's all I ever wanted and they're all I ever need. Please help me get back."

"There you are mommy! You should see what I got you for Mothers Day! Daddy said he would help me tie a ribbon around it cuz it's too hard to wrap flowers. You're gonna be so surprised!"

The mom awoke to the enthusiastic ramblings of her 4 year old, finding herself at home on the couch. She must have fallen asleep and dreamt the whole thing, for the dishes were still in the sink, the laundry still in the basket, and the dinner still frozen in the freezer. But she didn't care. The smile on her face as she enlisted the help from her children led her husband to believe that a few hours of alone time really boosted her spirits; it was just what she needed, and he was the hero. As she gave him a hug, she spied her daughter's stuffed pink fairy doll in the corner, gave her wink, then with a undeniable kiss, let her husband know it was truly, just what she needed.

The End.

Happy Mothers Day to all, but especially to mine. Love you Mom! Love you kids...thanks for making me the worlds happiest mom!