My mother gave my the cape. For all her faults and failings, her enduring gift to me is the cape.
I survived an abusive marriage and an over-demanding manager. I plastered a smile on my face and played the “nice” role. I endured the grief and loss of loved ones, while balancing too many worries and anxieties to mention. I raised a family single-handedly, and made the best choices and worst decisions along the way. And I did it in a dress, in sweats, in suits, in heels, in trainers and always in a cape.
When my daughter was born, I wrapped her in that cape, and every day I see her grow more confidently into it. Forget about passing down worn out wedding dresses, along with worn out fairy tales of what could be if only magic is present… Pass down the cape and create a reality far stronger than any magical story.