Beyond Graduation... Happily Ever After
Beyond Graduation... Happily Ever After
Featured on The TODAY SHOW in the segment, "Raising Confident Girls"
In the Midst of Caps, Gowns, and Wedding Crowns Single Women Ask: "Is Happily Ever After in My Future?"
New Release, Princess Bubble, Strikes Chord with America’s 51% SINGLE WOMEN WHO, FOR THE FIRST TIME IN U.S. HISTORY, OUTNUMBER MARRIED WOMEN
ATLANTA, February 5, 2008 — This spring after the tassels are moved to the left and mortar boards tossed in celebration; women all over our country will begin their own Happily Ever Afters with a master's or bachelor's degree as a bachelorette. Two successful prince-less princesses show the world that being a stuffy Old Maid does not have to be "in the cards" for single woman today! Susan Johnston and Kimberly Webb offer girls of all ages updated version of the traditional fairy tale. No longer a "Damsel in Distress," this princess travels the world, helps others, and finds "happily ever after" even before she finds her Prince!
With wisdom gleaned from their careers as single, globe-trotting flight attendants, first-time authors Susan Johnston and Kimberly Webb have crafted a modern-day book that celebrates singleness. A contemporary fairy tale for all ages, Princess Bubble was written to reduce the overwhelming sense of failure, self-doubt, and despair that some women face during self-reflecting times like graduations and weddings.
"Knowing how low self-esteem and depression plague many single females, we wanted to spread the message that ‘happily ever after’ can occur even before Prince Charming arrives. . . or even if he never does," said Webb.
"We’re definitely not anti-Prince," said Johnston (whose college nickname was "Bubbles"). "We’re not anti-family or anti-marriage, if anything we’re anti-‘Damsel in Distress.’ Our message—the single life can also be a fairy tale. The End!
Princess Bubble stars a princess who is confused by the traditional fairy tale messages that say she must find her "prince" before she can live "happily ever after." Princess Bubble dons her "thinking crown" to research traditional fairy tales, interviews married girlfriends, and even takes counsel from her mother, who advises her to sign up at FindYourPrince.com. With a little help from her fairy godmother (this is still a fairy tale after all), Ms. Bubble discovers that "living happily ever after" is not about finding a prince. "True happiness," the book reveals, "is found by loving God, being kind to others, and being comfortable with who you are already!"
Comments
Interesting review, thanks for sharing. My daughter contends that she has not able to find her right "prince," and that most of the eligible bachelors she knows are not worth pursuing. I suggested she upgrade her social circle, and that will most likely happen, once she starts Grad School.
My mother's generation believed that you went to college to find a husband. Sadly, even girls I started college with thought the same way. Happily, I did not. My prince charming came the old fashioned way - on a blind date arranged by mutual friends intent upon making a great match for us.
Maybe the Princess needs a matchmaker, if she really wants one. Otherwise, being comfortable with who you are is a good thing.
Somewhat related is this article on social status and health: http://empowher.com/news/08/04/24/social-status-plays-role-in-brain%2526....
What a great message! Often times, the message is that women aren't fully formed humans until they have someone at their side. It's wonderful we live in a time where women have the opportunity to attend college, and develop careers and interests before getting married. Bravo for trying to take the stigma out of being a single female. It's another choice that women deserve.
Marriage rates have also apparently dropped for women in other countries as well.
Is any one out there a single woman? Can you tell us, do you feel any of the societal pressures to marry?
I was 32 when I got married and it wasn't a moment too soon!
I was never a little girl who dreamed about her Big Day. I never went to weddings in my 20s and thought...'some day that'll be ME!' I was all about 'where's the bar and the cute guys! let's go dancing! I absolutely loved heading towards my 30s as a single woman. I owned my own home, car, I had friends, boyfriends, travel...what's not to like?
From a European perspective, I think there is too much pressure on an American to get married. Especially in the South. Hitting 30 and being single is somehow shameful. In the deep South, it's more like 25 is your cut-off point.
I remember being about 26 or 27 and some older American ladies patting me and saying "don't worry hon, your day will come..." and it was hard for me to keep a straight face... I was hoping they were talking about the lotto! Boy, was I mad when I figured out they meant a man! I was often asked where my 'better half' was or 'significant other' and I was 'she's right here, you're looking at her!'
I honestly think a person with 4 divorces behind them is seen as more personally successful than someone who never married! It's as if they have failed, somehow.
And half of us end up divorced anyway!
Upon saying that, I love being married, I took my time and choose very well. I think most, but by no means all, people tend to want to couple-up. It's quite natural. I love having a life partner and love sharing our kids with him. He is even getting slightly better at housework - only slightly, mind!
And for those of us who are single - enjoy! We must be evaluated on our own merits, not our marital status.
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