There is no Prince Charming

My mom is sixty four years young and still in search of her "Prince Charming" after three failed marriages. She jokes that she will never cut off her blond tresses for fear her prince will never be able to find her without that trademark "princess" hair. Sadly, my mom, like a lot of women today, fails to realize that there is no Prince Charming.

There is no such thing as the perfect person. Everyone wakes up greasy in the morning with bad breath, has stinky toots, and forgets to throw their dirty socks in the hamper. None of us are immune to having faults. That's just part of this life. However, that doesn't keep some people from the exhausting quest of trying to find their perfect mate. It's a search that is long, lonely, and ends in heartbreak because such a person does not exist.

We live in a world of selfishness. We want all of our needs met NOW! When we get into a relationship and discover that our partner doesn't always satisfy our every whim, then we high tail it out of there for greener pasture. No one can make mistakes. We don't have time for it! And surely it must be the other person's fault for the failing match, not our own. We are, after all, walking perfection.

I like to live in a place called reality, somewhere beyond the realm of our current society. I was well aware that my husband had faults before we even married. Therefore, it wasn't some huge unpleasant surprise when he made mistakes in our marriage, whether it was saying something stupid that hurt my feelings or forgetting to clean up his dishes. Although such instances may have brought about some unhappiness, they were short lived. Why? Because I knew he wasn't perfect and so I didn't expect him to act perfect. What's the point of focusing on all the little things? His good qualities far outweigh whatever minor faults he may have.

I also knew that we'd both age. After eight and a half years of marriage, we both look a little different. I've brought four children into the world. My body has changed, but my husband finds me even more beautiful. Wouldn't it be stupid to demand his undying praise of my body and yet not allow him some room to change? He's lost some hair up top and grown a little soft around the middle, but I think he's far more handsome and sexy than he was when we first got married. He's still got it!

Besides, I don't think I would really want Prince Charming as my soul mate. I think all those love poems, singing, and need to slay wild beasts would get pretty old real quick. (I saw "Enchanted" and that prince got annoying.) I want someone to contradict me, tell me when I'm wrong, and argue with me over issues. When we were dating we always had fun matching wits. It was great and lots of fun! Plus I've got a man who is actually helpful. My guy can wield a plunger against the most ferocious potty problems, catch puke with his bare hands, and disarm the most beastly tantrum. That's a man worth keeping!

So sorry ladies, but Prince Charming is just only in fairy tales. I could say that my husband is my "Prince Charming", but I give him more credit than that. He's imperfect like me and I love him for it. Our journey through life and on to perfection is all the more fulfilling because we both fall short of the fairy tale ideal. That, my friends, is what makes a relationship work. That is living "happily ever after".