Dear Prince Charming,

Dear Prince Charming,

It's been a long time since we met in the fantasy games of my childhood. My barbie doll no longer wears her wedding dress and both her and the prince are stuffed in a box in the basement, along with my childhood assumptions that happily ever afters exist.

As I grew older I became more jaded and sarcastic and you weren't around to correct me. You didn't canter down my road on your white steed, nor send me proof of your existence at all. I am aware, of course, that there are many little girls and older women who are calling for you at the same time, and as such you must be exceedingly busy.

However, I do not believe that the true Prince Charming would keep me waiting this long. You don't really have to own a horse, or carry a weapon, you don't have to defend my honor (I can do that on my own), or even compliment my looks. I don't need you to protect me, I don't need you to spend every waking hour with me, I don't need beautiful jewels and I don't need a castle.

I don't need you to kiss me to wake me up, you don't need to bring me to life. You don't need to fight a dragon, a wicked witch or an evil stepmother. You don't need the help of magical creatures to find me, you don't even need mapquest, I'm right here!

What I need is you. I need you to like me as much in my sweats and my finery, I need you to enjoy talking to me and listening as well, I need you to argue passionately with me and I need you to refrain from judging me when I take something back to a store after already wearing it. I don't care how tall you are, the color of you hair or what car you drive. I don't care if you can't dance, if you're idea of a good time is sleeping on the couch at four in the afternoon, or if your idea of romance is a tiny box of chocolates sheepishly given the day after Valentines.

You don't have to be perfect because I most certainly am not. I have read of you in ever incarnation possible. You could be a cop or a firefighter, a lumberjack or a lawyer, a journalist or a jobber and I won't care. I have been patient and I have put up with others who just can't fill your shoes.

You don't have to be grand or fancy. You don't need to impress me and you don't need to save me. You just need to get here.

I can understand the importance of your image, the fact that you are the one and only for so many. I know you'll get here, and it'll be when I least expect it but If you could put a rush on it you might just save me from another catastrophic and romantically barren year.

All my love,

H