I can just see Cinderella venting to Prince Charming about her step-sisters and how frustrating they are and I can see Eric and Ariel arguing about going to her dad's place for the holidays and I'm sure Belle things that Beast (what is his human name anyway?) needs boundaries in his relationships with the people in his house and I bet Mulan and Shang have power struggles and Anna and Kristoff probably have issues with whether or not Sven (the reindeer) sleeps inside at night. I wonder, if these fairy tales were true and in the present, what all they would struggle with? Would Aladin struggle with pornography? Would Prince Naveen be faithful? Would Shang travel too much? Would Beast spend too much time watching TV or on his iPhone? Would Prince Charming always be charming? Would Kristoff always act like a child? Would Prince Philip think Auora was beautiful even after the baby weight, stretch marks and crows feet around her eyes? Would Eric still make Ariel laugh? Would Snow White's prince ever get tired of the animals she brings into their home?
I'm not trying to rain on the Princess parade at all. I'm just thinking out loud about happily ever after. I do think they all lived happily ever after and I do think that I will, too. But I can't forget that there are big deep spaces between happily and ever and after and that the cartoons end with the love at first sight or at the wedding. There is so much time between the stars in the eyes and till death do us part. I think sometimes we get caught up on the fairy tale and the dream of finding our prince and living happily ever after and then when there is a speed bump or a pot hole or a bridge washed out, we become disillusioned by the journey and we wonder where the road is leading us and where in the world did our happily ever after go. And I think that is sad. Our happily ever after is still there. . . it is a part of the journey and it is the destination, but happily ever after doesn't mean perfect and romantic and blissful every moment.
In the real world of relationships and marriage, I think that we must believe with our whole hearts in happily ever after, but we must know that the journey to ever after will be hard and not fun at times and it will have tears and hurt feelings and frustration and miscommunication. It will also have much laughter and fun memories and dear friendships. I think we need to know that happily ever after is true, but it take work and dedication and faithfulness and prayer and hope!
I do believe in happily ever after and through the ups and downs and smiles and tears and everything in between, that I am married to my prince and that he loves me and that we are in this together until happily ever after is ever after! With love and patience and trust and forgiveness and thoughtfulness and compassion and joy humility and all of those things, I can share my happily ever after with Andy each and every day. I'm thankful for that.
I do believe!!!
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