Disney ruins relationships!



Shawna and I putting our heads together for some brilliant ideas

Disney ruins relationships. Yep, I said it. My friend Shawna and I were talking about the men in our lives tonight and appreciating the romantic things they do. Nothing big and grandiose, but appreciated nontheless. However, we've both had men in our lives (ok, ALL of us have) that are romance illiterate. Guys that don't get why doing sweet things for the woman in your life is important or even necessary. Guys, I wish I could say that it's just in our blood: we need it to survive. Unfortunately, that's not it. It's nurture, not nature, that brings us to where we are as women in the way that we crave romance.

I blame Disney. A few weeks ago, I was watching Tangled with my 5 year old niece, Sophia. At several times during the movie I looked over at Sophia. She was grinning from ear to ear with this dreamy look in her eye and at that moment, I knew she was ruined. She, like thousands of other girls before her, idealized and, well, romanticized romance. The prince riding in on a horse isn't real! Cinderella didn't REALLY live happily ever after, right? I mean, what did she do with the rest of her life?! Of course, it's a story and as an adult I can seperate that, but children can't and by the time they can, it's way too late. They have their whole future planned out and it inevitably includes a handsome prince rescuing her from what's sure to be a crummy life. Part of me wanted to tell her that, but what good would it have done to a five year old? What good does it do for a 25 year old? None.

Fast forward to being in your mid-twenties and trying to date. I'm realistic enough to know that the handsome prince rarely exists and life isn't all romance and flowers. But, is it too much to ask for a little lovin'? It's SO hard to find a man to do anything romantic that when one does something that's not overly cheesy, we act shocked!

To add insult to injury, women learn over time through experience that most men want One Thing. We get bogged down by this and turn a bit cynical over time. Our guard is always up and it takes a very special person to get our defenses lowered. Because of that, sometimes romance is a turnoff! Really!? We think their intentions aren't honorable if they show their romantic side. We crave the attention and then are turned off when we get it! We are raised with idealism only to have it completely crushed by real life and we can't find the happy medium. It makes no sense. We are told to never ever settle, but we also know that no one is perfect. Doesn't that give these poor guys impossible standards?

So, I urge you...if a guy doesn't automatically sweep you off your feet by sending you flowers, writing you poems and telling you that you are gorgeous every second, don't completely write him off. Give guys a chance and they may come through. It gives a little truth to the song Someday My Prince Will Come...