becoming prince charming part 4...and the man can sing

OK, something important to note about Prince Charming…

The man has got some pipes.

Men live in this odd confusion about things that men are supposed to do and things men are not.  Most of the nots are simply things that do more to demonstrate fear than masculinity.  Weaker men are afraid of doing something that isn’t…manly.  The fear is that their manhood will be challenged and they will be considered wimpy.  

But, as any ugly man who plays a guitar can tell you, singing is sexy.  

See, so much of the confusion of princeliness comes by thinking that what makes a man is all of the external stuff.  Sword fighting, horse riding, and picking up princesses have become marks of what makes a good prince.  But then, here is our hero, singing his big heart out because a prince is made up of what is inside as well as what is outside.  

Being willing to sing, dance, pay and instrument, paint, write (thank you), sculpt, or any other expression of soul demonstrates a free man.  This is a man who is confident, at peace, and filled with the joy of being alive.  He isn’t afraid of his status or what the others would say about him.  

He’s just interested in adding his voice to the song of the world...

...and a duet with a princess.

Becoming Prince Charming part 3...Someday My Prince will Come

The year was 1937 and for 57 minutes audiences had already been enraptured by the worlds first full-lenght animated feature film.  It was a feat that critics had said was crazy for Walt Disney to attempt.  Then, before the next minute had passed, audiences heard a song that would be part of hope’s magical songbook for the next 73 years - with no sign of stopping.  It’s been sung countless times by everyone from Diana Ross to the Cheetah Girls and even recorded by jazz greats such as Dave Brubeck and Herbie Hancock. Herbie gives a haunting rendition…nearly as cautiously hopeful as the heart of Snow White as she intones faith that someday her prince will indeed, come.

The story of Prince Charming, as we have already eluded to, involves a fair share of waiting.  In the last chapter we considered the amount of preparation that goes into being Prince Charming.  The delay might seem frustrating, but if he isn’t ready for when the time comes, he will be of little use.  But there is a second aspect of the delay that’s important to note.  Princesses worth rescuing have already built a story worth telling. 

Snow White demonstrated her resolve, and ultimately her true worth, by bringing her grace to the situation in which she found herself.  A lesser woman would have thrown a fit at her misfortune.  Snow decides to clean the dwarf’s home…resting only when the work was completed.  She lived with them with such an endearing grace that they weren’t even ready to let her go when taken by a poison apple.  If hers was a life simply living in the shadow of a prince we would never have seen the heart of the princess.

True, she is now a princess with scars, but hers is a heart worthy of the chase.  Charming has trained and prepared.  He can’t always stop trouble from coming…but he doesn’t need to because her heart is strong.  Yes, someday her prince will come, but not because she is helpless, but because she has the heart of a queen.  

After all, this is her story. 

Becoming Prince Charming #2 - Where is he anyway?

Every story I can think of that involves our Prince finds him conspicuously absent. In fact, most of the story progresseses without him. When considering Prince Charming we have to begin with some speculation. Where is our hero while we are unravelling the tale of the princess? One would think that the Prince would be more valuable at the beginning...right when the story begins. That way the princess could avoid all conflict and suffering. There would be no evil queen mothers, wicked stepsisters, or vengeful witches - happily ever after could begin early and without scars.

We will talk more about the scars in the next chapter...but here we are considering Charming.

I think there is a truth worth considering. Princes who are true princes are not born - they are created. Dolly Parton is famous for saying "it takes a lot of money to look this cheap." I'd say it takes a lot of miles to produce Prince Charming. Without charecter, power and privilage have the tendency to corrupt and spoil. Without training, a sword becomes as dangerous to he who wields it as it does to the enemy. Without practice, an unseasoned prince will find himself thrown to the ground by the most trusty of steeds. Without honor, placed in his heart by worthy men who came before him, princesses are in danger of deeper scars than threatened by trolls or treachery.

Prince Charming's story is visible in his actions. His hours have been spent in the vital practice of becoming. He has been training his body, mind, and soul through discipline and a willingness to seek out the greatness that laid the path before him. He is not the sort of man to miss an opportunity to become more than he is.

The princess' story is running at the same time. Charming hasn't met her...but that doesn't matter. He prepares for her and what the journey will bring because he wants to be ready to give his best. He can hear her song in the distance.