"Good people,
Most royal greening verdancy,
Rooted in the sun,
You shine with radiant light,
In this circle of earthly existence
You shine so finely,
It surpasses understanding.
God hugs you.
You are encircled by the arms
of the mystery of God."
     ~ Hildegard of Bingen

Saturday I was surrounded by royalty. In the early afternoon I was working in the garden and heard laughter and the sweet sound of voices of little girls. I looked up from my work to see the girls who live behind us running toward the swing set……all dressed in long, flowing princess dresses. They jumped onto the swings, calling one another’s names, their crowns shining in the early afternoon sun. What a sight! On further investigation it seemed to be a birthday party with a Disney Princess theme. For those few hours, Snow White, Belle, and Cinderella all danced around within my view.

Several hours later I found myself at the Grande March for our younger son’s prom. The young people who usually appear at our house in sweatpants and T-shirts had been transformed into royalty. Tuxedos of black and white were accented with bright colored vests and ties…..bright red, pale yellow, deep blue, hot pink even. The young women were in long dresses, short dresses, sleek or billowing. Their normal ponytails had been curled and uplifted….some were decorated with crowns. Flowers were worn or carried by everyone as parents snapped pictures and video cameras rolled. Everyone looked beautiful…..shining ever so finely. The adults looked on, filled with pride and memory.

The rituals we have created to claim our beauty in the world are complex and deep seeded. In every culture, humans festoon their hair, arms, legs, bodies with shining metals, jewels, beautiful fabric. Dances and processions are created to move from one life moment to the next. What is believed to be beautiful by one culture is seen quite differently by another. And yet we all have the need to feel, every now and then, that we are royal creatures….standing in some radiant circle of light in the world.

The tuxedos have been returned. The dresses have been taken to the dry cleaners. The Disney Princesses are back in their play clothes. Hair has returned to its daily, messy state. But I do believe I could see many of those who were royalty on Saturday……..and they will still be wearing crowns. They are simply invisible to the naked eye.