A Queen in a Candy Store
Queen Kim and I have seen the glittery excitement a lady flashes when she is first invited to join the Mint Julep Queens for a flounce. It is so much fun to watch. The Raw Joy passes its power on. I bask in it.
Everyone in the world I hope has seen a moment like this in the eyes of child. Remember how it feels to stand in line at a candy store waiting to buy a pound of fudge or pralines, or caramel turtles. If you have never done this, I strongly encourage you to put this on your bucket list. To pass the time, watch the tourists come and go. Watch the door. Every second human walking throught the doors is wild-eyed with excitement. Usually they tug their partner’s hand, straining to run full throttle into the store. (Usually this person is about 3 feet tall and only recently out of diapers, but not always.) Really watch this internal sparkle of joy. It makes the person glow. It only explodes more when they sees trays of chocolate, buckets, and cansiters of every type of candy all packed into an old time confectionary. A kid in a candy shop! Where in the world did some word-smith come up with that? It smacks you in the face.
When a lady is invited to join the MJQs, that kid appears in her voice, in her eyes. Her body will relax and her hands fly to her hair. ”Oh, do I get tiara?” She might even squeal “GOODY!”
To a queen at heart, rhinestones are sprinkles on the cupcake of life. Once over the sugar high induced by imagining the Rhinestones perched on top of her head, she heads out into the world to share the happy news with friends, co-workers, partners.
Depending on their response (and sometimes depending on her level of self-confidence) the fire risks being put out. Will her boss see her on the street in a tiara and think she is silly? Will the ladies from church question her behavior? Will the rabbi wonder if she is the right woman to lead the trip to Isreal? Will her students’ respect be undermined? Will her clients trust her decisions? Will her employees laugh at her and not with her? Bottom line. Will people stop taking her seriously? Seriously?
So if you are worried, questions pop into your head before your friend even finishes asking, “Hey. Would you like to join the Mint Julep Queens for our next flounce? ” You need to really think. You might not have tons of fun.
I have mentioned this before, but it is worth mentioning again. Queens fear not. Queens have not even thought of these questions and are nonplussed when a helpful co-worker or concerned friend points out how judgment might happen if she acts against the standard social norms and wears a honking big dress and honking big tiara in public. Some Queens, frozen in bafflement will stop and reconsider the invitation. And then they sieze the real meaning of these cautionary queries.
“Judge me? How dare they? I am only having fun and not hurting a soul. In fact, I will be spreading Joy. I am celebrating being Royal Me! I know it is a tad rebellious, but so what? I get to wear a CROWN.”