Cinderella

When I was about 8 or 9 years old, my Grandpa Moore took me on a date.  I was visiting my Aunt Carol who lived in Dallas at the time, and my grandpa was there on a business.  They got it all arranged for him to pick me up and take me out on a date.  I remember my aunt telling me my grandpa said we could do anything I wanted to do.  I knew right away that I wanted to go eat at a Mexican restaurant and see a movie.  We looked through the movie listings together and I decided on Cinderella.

When my grandpa got there to pick me up he asked me what I wanted to do.  "Go eat Mexican food and see Cinderella," I instantly told him.  He smiled and said, "I like a girl who knows what she wants!"  And, so our date began.

I don't remember much about our dinner, except that when we paid for our meal he bought me extra candy.  The restaurant we ate at gave you a little piece of candy at the end of your meal, but he bought me a big bag of it.  That is exactly the way my grandpa was...over the top with everything he did! :)

Next we went to see Cinderella.  I loved it!  I sat enthralled as the prince whisked Cinderella away from her horrible life with her step-mother and step-sisters and married her!  Now she was a princess!  As we were driving back to my aunt's house, my grandpa and I talked about the movie.  He asked me what I thought of it.  As I was sharing my thoughts, I said, "I wonder what Cinderella did to her mean step-mother and step-sisters after she became a princess."  Visions of all the mean things she could do to them danced in my head.  "She could definitely get revenge on them now," I thought.  My grandpa simply replied, "I bet she forgave them."

Those words amazed me!  I turned them over and over again in my head.  Forgive them?!?  After what they did to her?  I will never forget those words.  My grandpa changed my way of thinking that day so many years ago.  He's in Heaven now, and today would have been his birthday.  So, in his memory and honor, I wanted to share this precious story!  I love you, Grandpa Moore!  I'll see you in Heaven when I get there! :) Until them, just know I remember your words, and I still take them to heart today.  Forgiveness is always the best answer.