Copyright 2008, Measure Up Place LLC
A Prince Charming or A Charming Prince
As a little girl my mother, in the way that mothers do, read me fairy tales about beautiful princesses who wore dresses of sparkling taffeta and silk. They drank out of teacups trimmed in gold and they rarely took a step, as a great glistening royal carriage was always waiting to carry them away to their desired destination. But even with all of the beautiful dresses and the fancy dinnerware, no princess was ever complete without Prince Charming by her side. Prince Charming stood tall, in a starched red military jacket with gold embossed buttons. His status granted the princess’s every wish as soon as a command left his lips, and despite his pressing schedule of horsemanship and ballroom dancing, he always called her when he said he would.
When I grew older, I began to search for this Prince Charming in city bars, in college classes, and in aisle three of my local supermarket. All I learned was that the closest I could ever hope to get to that afternoon described so fondly in my story book, the one in which Prince Charming sipped tea and played polo in the courtyard with his royal company, is a last minute spread of sourdough pretzels and beer lit by the hopelessly unromantic flicker of Sports Center.
As I get ready to throw in my diamond-laden crown in a gesture of utter defeat and disappointment, I think to myself, what’s so great about this Prince Charming anyway? Think about it, ladies. Sure, he was the king’s son, but did Prince Charming ever once make Cinderella laugh until tears ran down her cheeks and she smudged her prestige-brand mascara? Do we ever read an account of Prince Charming digging through the clearance rack of T.J. Maxx to help his princess find the perfect pair of pumps for a last minute girls’ night out? And when was the last time he pushed back one of his archery lessons in favor of spending an afternoon with his princess watching a Lifetime movie or cooking dinner?
The key to finding the perfect guy is to let go of those certain ideals we learn from our first Disney movie or bedtime story. It’s not necessarily suitors or stepsisters that are the biggest problem, but the standards that we put into place. The Prince may have a lot of money, an impeccable haircut, and an unmistakable surname like Charming, but would you trade your real-life charmer for him? If you are too busy looking for the Prince to notice the guy who still gives you butterflies, smiles and surprises, well then, your happily ever after just isn’t going to happen. So embrace the charmer, even if he isn’t a prince, and stop trying to cram your size-nine foot into a seven-and-a-half glass slipper, because the leopard stilettos that fit look a lot sassier, anyway.