My Prince Charming

When I was a little girl, I used to dream about Prince Charming (who back then looked like Jonathan Taylor Thomas) coming along, sweeping me off my feet and living happily ever after. I'm now 26 years old and JTT (which is my pet nickname for him, no one else could have ever come up with something so clever) still hasn't come along. I even wrote him a letter when I was 12 and I'm STILL waiting for a response to my marriage proposal. Anyway, back to the point and enough daydreaming of what could have been, I've realized thru failed relationship after failed relationship that Prince Charming doesn't exist. I think all those damn Disney princesses snatched all the princes up. Plus, Prince William is finally married, or getting married, I honestly haven't kept up with that whole storyline.
I have realized that as much as you want to find the perfect person who will complement you and make you the best you that you can be, you never will. Everyone has flaws. It's the choice you make of which flaws you are willing to overlook and which ones will be relationship enders. Let's look at my past to see what I'm talking about.
I dated a guy who I thought was fantastic, he had a job and he made me laugh, which are the two requirements for dating me. Now, one thing you have to know about me, if you don't already know, I am a crazy outgoing person. If there's music, I dance. If there's jokes, I laugh. If there's people, I make new friends. That's me. Well, when we'd go places together, he'd get embarrassed of me. I'd dance (like I was having a seizure) and he would walk away or yell at me. Or I'd talk it up with new people and he'd tell me I was being inappropriate. It eventually made me think that something was wrong with ME. I started to curb my behavior until I realized that it wasn't me. He just couldn't appreciate who I was and all the flaws that come with me.
Another guy would make me feel guilty for going out with my friends. Wait, rephrase that, EVERY guy I've dated has made me feel guilty for going out with my friends. If I'm going out with my girlfriends, obviously I'm going to end up sleeping with some other guy. Doesn't matter, we could be going to the movies, taking the kids to the park, having a drink and dancing. No matter what, I am a whore who will pick up a man wherever I go and cheat on my boyfriends. At least, that's what they all tried to say. I never realized that this wasn't normal. I thought they were just jealous and it was cute at first and got really irritating after a few years. It was their way of trying to control me. The controlling flaw, that is one flaw I am not able to overlook.
I am now in a very healthy relationship with a man who encourages me to be who I am. He supports me in what I choose to do and even praises me. I can dance, sing, talk to anyone I want and I still get a hug at the end of the day and a "you did great". This is the first time in my life where I've ever felt completely comfortable and happy with who I am. It's a weird feeling that is taking me time to get used to. I keep waiting for the accusations when I tell him I'm hanging out with my girlfriends. Or for the insults when I do something crazy and stupid. They haven't come. Trust me, I've done some pretty stupid things in front of him, said some really stupid things, and even blamed his dog for things I've done and called her a liar if she told him anything different (I had been drinking alcohol if that explains anything). He's never made me feel stupid, guilty, bad crazy, or vulnerable. He overlooks my flaws and makes me feel worthy. THIS is how you should feel when someone cares about you.
Believe me when I say, it's not all sunshine and roses. He gets upset with me, and I get upset with him. That's natural. But even then, he doesn't use the opportunity to cut me down. We have the best and most honest communication that I've ever had with anyone in my life. I've never been able to be as open and honest with anyone as I am with him. I can tell him anything and I know it won't be held against me later.
This is who Prince Charming is. He's not some hot actor from Home Improvement who is going to ride up on a white horse and be perfect. My Prince Charming doesn't even have a horse. He rides a motorcycle and definitely isn't perfect. The most important thing is that he makes me feel like a princess, which is all that matters.