And they all lived happily ever after…….. Do you remember those words? I’m not generally a conspiracy theorist but this one really gets me! You know the one – a Prince who battles against the odds to win the heart of the hard done by maiden and whisks her up the aisle towards a better life. What these stories fail to mention is that it won’t be long before she’s picking his pants off the bedroom floor, ironing his shirts and cursing him under her breath for not doing his fair share around the house.
This sleeping beauty will wake up after twenty years, children grown, and wonder what the hell happened! It’s now that things start to get interesting. No longer is she driven (and blinded) by the need to reproduce. It becomes a very different story. The thing is, nobody really knows the rules for this bit!
Some lovelies stay with their Prince who has often turned into his father! Others leave their Prince because he has turned into a toad and there is no way they’re ever going to kiss him again! So you head off in your carriage, or in my case an old convertible, to where??
Of course if you’re reading this, you’ve already arrived……Toyboy Warehouse! Good choice! And suddenly the fun returns. But it’s not the adolescent version of before. That, obviously, would be very unattractive in a woman in her forties! No, this time it is fuelled by self assurance, experience and wisdom. Riches indeed!
You don’t have to do a re-run of the first time. You can see things for what they are. Create your own fantasy or enjoy being someone else’s. There is no reason to compromise. Your man is not a solitaire but a very precious jewel set amongst the other jewels in your life. By that I mean your children, family, friends and career. A real feeling of balance can be reached, with you at the centre, not bottom of the list.
In this place, love feels very different. Maybe because your head is able to give your heart a jolly good talking to when required? Maybe because all your inhibitions seem to have deserted you (what’s that about?). Maybe it’s because you are no longer looking to someone else to make your life right, finally you are relying on yourself.
Those poor old toads, they never knew what was right there under their noses because they didn’t think to look. But, oh, you lucky, lucky boys who are about to appreciate the benefits of renaissance women. A word of advice, enjoy every moment and, for God’s sake, pick up your own pants!!
As for you, lady, the rule book is blank. It is waiting for you to create your own version that is right for you. There isn’t a universal template and the ‘happy ever after’ ending isn’t reliant on anyone other than yourself.
Written by Three Wishes
