Frog Prince

It’s 2 o’clock in the morning and I’m still daydreaming. It’s a case of acute principus lalakerus, also known as the frog prince syndrome.

For as long as I can remember I’ve been forming the “perfect” prince in my head. The man who would, just like in fairy tales, sweep me off my feet and carry me into happily ever after. The man who would give me the world and watch me in my sleep. The frog who’ll become a prince with my mere kiss…

Somebody once told me that no girl could and should attempt to change a man, for the sole reason that men would never change. You’ll just have to take him in as he is. I can never prove him wrong, because he’s right. He sure is right. But I still believe that love can bring out the best in every person. No, it’s not changing, imagine your old beat up sofa that’s covered with 40 years worth of dusts and is stinking like crazy, that has been re-upholstered…or at least vacuumed. That’s how a frog is turned into a prince. That’s how I would want my fairy tale to begin.

I was once asked to give my “specs” for the perfect guy. I thought it would be nice to be an idealist that moment. I thought it would ultra romantic, not to say hip, to say that I don’t need a list because it wouldn’t matter if I’m already in love. But now I know better. You need a list. It would be extremely impossible to stick by it, but at least you know what kind of prince you’re looking for, and in my case, I’m looking for a frog prince.

My frog prince ain’t perfect, he’s not even close to perfect. But he has the potential to be my prince. He’s not good looking but neither is he a toad. He’s not a genius but he’s smart enough to know when to croak and when not to. He’s not rich, but he does have a modest kingdom by the prairie. He’s got a great frog family back home and has invested in a nice lily pond.

My frog prince would make me his princess, one kiss and he’ll be mine forever. No pretty Thumbelina would ever catch his eyes. Even a juicy fly waiting to be caught would never pull his frog eyes away from me. He’ll make me feel like I’m the most beautiful thing he has ever laid eyes on and he’ll be proud to admit to everyone that he’s caught by my charms. And he’ll ask me to stand by him all the days of his life, as his princess, confidant and best friend.

My frog prince wouldn’t be perfect. He’ll be as flawed as any of us. He’ll shout in rage when provoked and throw curses over the snake who trespassed in his pond. He’ll commit mistakes, he’ll jump over the wrong lily bloom once in while and he’ll get caught wandering with his fellow frogs during the height of the night. But he’ll come back to me and tell me why. He’ll hug me back and tell me I can really trust him next time.

My frog prince will be the bearer of good things. He’ll know when I’m in need of a bouquet of wildflowers, or a gentle massage. He’ll lighten my heavy heart with songs and poems of love and happy dreams. He’ll carry my burden as long as he could give my hands a minute’s worth of rest and he’ll gladly work while he watch me go to sleep.

But one thing that’s truly remarkable about my frog prince is that…My frog prince is no prince. He’s my dream. He’s mine and only I could find him.