As children, we are read fairy tales just before we sleep. We have heard Snow White, Cinderella, Rose Red,Rapunzel and so many more. In all those lovely enchanted tales, the princess leads a miserable life due to one factor or another, her prince charming comes along and rescues her. In beauty and the beast, the role is reversed and the young girl rescues the beast and he turns back into a prince.
As I grew into my teens, the world of fairy tales did not end, they turned into Victoria Holts, Mills & Boons, Danielle Steel. Here again were love stories in various settings, the handsome, ruthless man would sweep the young girl off her petite feet, after a few misunderstanding, ups and downs a few lovers quarrels down the line, the handsome rich man would declare his undying love to the unsuspecting girl who is any ways wallowing for him. They make passionate declarations and settle down in very picturesque settings...
When i got to some serious literature, I was taken into yet another world of passionate , true love, here I encountered pathos and tragedy, Romeo and Juliet, Sense and Sensibilities, Pride and Prejudice,Wuthering Heights, in Pulp Fiction Classics Thorn Birds, Gone With the Wind, even Fountain Head... the theme was the same, two people in love, the hero and the heroines perfect, beautiful, wealthy....
I'm aware more women would have read the books I mention, yet I'm sure men too have grown up on their own versions of the perfect woman and their version of happily ever afters.. maybe it entails a wife who smells good always, wears tights minis over her perfect size zero body, serves beers with a smile and leaves him alone to watch sport......
Fantasy and fiction are great escapes. yet a lot of our expectations are somehow influenced by what we have been fed through stories before we could comprehend complete sentences even. What did Fiona (from Shrek) think when she realised her Prince Charming was an Ogre?? He scratches, belches, Farts, Drops food crumbs on the front of his shirt, he gets angry and says cruel things. What does the man think when he sees the "woman of his dreams" go through pms, have fuzz on her legs in between her waxing appointments, wakes up with tousled hair and morning breath. What happens when the real quarrels in life are nothing close to the cute fights we read in books but are on real issues, real differences about life style, chore duties, money, space?
True everyone knows fairy tales are just that stories, we don't build our dreams around them, yet some where deep down don't we all want a story worthy of a block buster film. Don't we all wish for a love story, down to cheesy dialogues and all with a happy ending?
With years and experience, we move from our infatuation ad crush phase to flings and affairs, we have a few nights stands, perhaps settle down with one giving in to our practical side, knowing life is not made up of chocolate houses and rose gardens. We move from one person to another trying to see where we fit the best, like a note that's changed hands once too often, the clean crisp note become dirty, stained, crumpled and smelly. The freshness lost along the way.....
Today i read this on facebook "
I read it, and found it so true, I know what Fiona thought when she saw her ogre, she thought He may not be conventionally good looking, but in my eyes he's as handsome as they come, his weird idiosyncrasies, only I'm a witness because he trusts and loves me, he may not spout romantic verses but his actions prove he loves me, i may not be a princess, yet he makes me feel like one, he treats me like one, yes he's doesn't fit in by the books definitions, yet he is my prince charming for sure.....
I've carried my romantic ideas ever since I can remember. I was never disappointed.....hurt? several times... yet i carried memories of the good times. I longed for the perfect ending to my story, madly in love, romantic moments, the perfect proposal with him down on his knees, maybe on the seas on a starry night, a passionate kiss when i demurely say yes, the grand wedding with everyone laughing, a honeymoon where we would be inseparable, laughing, kissing....None of this happened. What did make it memorable though were moments some where along the journey, watching him dance with a sheepish grin on his face, a dress he bought for me that I'd been looking at , morning tea served to me because I hate waking up early, I put the golden halo around these moments , to recall them at will when my daily life seems to lack the luster. I have several such albums of snap shots , in my head, from all my relationships... I open them from time to time, relive those beautiful memories, my own fairy tales. I keep them safe for lonely nights and winters of life, they bring back the smile and sunshine... I do have a fairy tale of mine, several of them in fact....
As I grew into my teens, the world of fairy tales did not end, they turned into Victoria Holts, Mills & Boons, Danielle Steel. Here again were love stories in various settings, the handsome, ruthless man would sweep the young girl off her petite feet, after a few misunderstanding, ups and downs a few lovers quarrels down the line, the handsome rich man would declare his undying love to the unsuspecting girl who is any ways wallowing for him. They make passionate declarations and settle down in very picturesque settings...
When i got to some serious literature, I was taken into yet another world of passionate , true love, here I encountered pathos and tragedy, Romeo and Juliet, Sense and Sensibilities, Pride and Prejudice,Wuthering Heights, in Pulp Fiction Classics Thorn Birds, Gone With the Wind, even Fountain Head... the theme was the same, two people in love, the hero and the heroines perfect, beautiful, wealthy....
I'm aware more women would have read the books I mention, yet I'm sure men too have grown up on their own versions of the perfect woman and their version of happily ever afters.. maybe it entails a wife who smells good always, wears tights minis over her perfect size zero body, serves beers with a smile and leaves him alone to watch sport......
Fantasy and fiction are great escapes. yet a lot of our expectations are somehow influenced by what we have been fed through stories before we could comprehend complete sentences even. What did Fiona (from Shrek) think when she realised her Prince Charming was an Ogre?? He scratches, belches, Farts, Drops food crumbs on the front of his shirt, he gets angry and says cruel things. What does the man think when he sees the "woman of his dreams" go through pms, have fuzz on her legs in between her waxing appointments, wakes up with tousled hair and morning breath. What happens when the real quarrels in life are nothing close to the cute fights we read in books but are on real issues, real differences about life style, chore duties, money, space?
True everyone knows fairy tales are just that stories, we don't build our dreams around them, yet some where deep down don't we all want a story worthy of a block buster film. Don't we all wish for a love story, down to cheesy dialogues and all with a happy ending?
With years and experience, we move from our infatuation ad crush phase to flings and affairs, we have a few nights stands, perhaps settle down with one giving in to our practical side, knowing life is not made up of chocolate houses and rose gardens. We move from one person to another trying to see where we fit the best, like a note that's changed hands once too often, the clean crisp note become dirty, stained, crumpled and smelly. The freshness lost along the way.....
Today i read this on facebook "
I read it, and found it so true, I know what Fiona thought when she saw her ogre, she thought He may not be conventionally good looking, but in my eyes he's as handsome as they come, his weird idiosyncrasies, only I'm a witness because he trusts and loves me, he may not spout romantic verses but his actions prove he loves me, i may not be a princess, yet he makes me feel like one, he treats me like one, yes he's doesn't fit in by the books definitions, yet he is my prince charming for sure.....
I've carried my romantic ideas ever since I can remember. I was never disappointed.....hurt? several times... yet i carried memories of the good times. I longed for the perfect ending to my story, madly in love, romantic moments, the perfect proposal with him down on his knees, maybe on the seas on a starry night, a passionate kiss when i demurely say yes, the grand wedding with everyone laughing, a honeymoon where we would be inseparable, laughing, kissing....None of this happened. What did make it memorable though were moments some where along the journey, watching him dance with a sheepish grin on his face, a dress he bought for me that I'd been looking at , morning tea served to me because I hate waking up early, I put the golden halo around these moments , to recall them at will when my daily life seems to lack the luster. I have several such albums of snap shots , in my head, from all my relationships... I open them from time to time, relive those beautiful memories, my own fairy tales. I keep them safe for lonely nights and winters of life, they bring back the smile and sunshine... I do have a fairy tale of mine, several of them in fact....
The note may be stained and crushed ... but it does not depreciate ... life does leave it mark on every one and every thing it touches... that does not mean that every fold and scratch has to be lamented ... very deep, meaningful and thoughtful piece of work ... superb :)
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