A guest post by Melanie Rothschild
I realized that if Princess Diana were still alive she’d be a grandma. That got me to thinking about royalty – and babies.
It hasn’t happened much but I suppose a couple of times after I had my twins I considered what it would be like to be a princess – I particularly got into the part about having a few extra hands around the house.
Nevertheless, after all is said and done, I tend to think that it’s actually got to be a royal pain . . . to be a princess that is.
Trouble is, I doubt there’s much room to be yourself – or to even know necessarily just what that means. And then, you probably have to “play by the rules” when it comes to raising your baby too. And that would certainly take the sparkle out of the deal.
For an artist, it would be unbearable.
When I had babies, as thoroughly exhausted as I was, I was fundamentally energized by the idea that these babies could grow up to “ride on the open highway.” I could use whatever intuitive abilities I had to get to know these tiny people and support them in their own genuine search for creating themselves as best suited whatever strengths they would develop.
What must it be like if, while watching your future king grow up, you realize he has a propensity for reggae music or stand-up comedy. As a mother (to say nothing about the actual tiny monarch himself) I’d find it excruciating to be faced with denying who this person might actually be, having instead to yield to what must be pretty massive pressure to conform to centuries of tradition.
I think that’s where artists have an advantage – in appreciating the preciousness of pursuing being yourself. Certainly all of that “becoming yourself” stuff comes with a price, often a huge and pricey price – but fundamentally it’s the price of a bona fide freedom to be. I suppose in the end, that’s what defines pursuing a creative life.
While all the imperial perks are certainly enviable at times, holding the keys to one’s own kingdom is what I’d consider a truly royal deal.
On a personal note: Happy Birthday this week to my 24-year old babes who are each doing a majestic job of developing their own spectacular and distinctive selves.
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