Princess Lessons

I am a rough-edged woman without grace. I stumble over my long legs, oftentimes falling mouth-first upon my foot.

In college, I took a literature class that I adored. The teacher explained formula fiction like this: the books you read in the airport.
Westerns, romances, mysteries.
Formula fiction romances consist of a flawed heroine -her flaws endear her to readers because they relate to flawed human, being one themselves. There’s a one-flawed man who is a romantic combination of gentle and brawny: a violin-playing firefighter, a cowboy with an affinity for culinary arts, a sleek business man with a soft spot for underprivileged children. The heroine is usually formulated to be the perfect cure for the hero’s one flaw. Enter Nicholas Sparks and a troubled piano-playing soldier who bonds with neglected children.

There’s often a villian in the form of another woman, and this other woman is often buxom, sexy, and powerful. She is not perceived as weak…

As I listened to my teacher, I realized in one life-altering moment that in accordance with formula fiction -which I could easily reason is REAL LIFE (*sarcasm sign*) -I WAS A HEROINE.
My perpetual gracelessness is my signature MARK.

My favorite sub-genre in formula fiction is Fairy Tales. I’m such a sucker for imaginary worlds where goodness, with all it’s nobility of heart and glitter of dress, always trumps evil.
I believe, religiously, that I AM ROYALTY. As God is The Great I AM and I am His literal daughter, this makes me Noble. I believe it with all of my heart, and while it brings me immeasurable peace it also unnerves me because

I trip a lot.

I’m not saying that to use my heroine-ness to manipulate you (here’s lookin’ at you, Bella). I seriously trip A LOT. I am Jesus’ SISTER and I TRIP. I say stupid stuff. I burn bacon every time.

I long for a tutor with a feather in his cap to rap his knuckles on my front door and say, “It’s time for princess lessons.” And then we’d spend hours learning important things like manners and posture and how to stop tripping.

On Saturday, I went into the city with a friend and she turned me on to the app “Audiobooks.” I downloaded it, and Sunday afternoon I tucked my earbuds in and decided to take a chance on James Allen.
“The Heavenly Life.”
I walked toward the sunset and listened to his words -every sentence left like a sermon. He told me that I had answers within myself… ALL of the answers. Five minutes into my walk, I realized my posture was pretty darn-near perfect. I was walking taller and I listened to him talk of simplicity of God, my Father, and of love.
I fell quickly in love, realizing how formula fictionish it was that the student should be blushy-cheeked about her teacher. I watched a flock of black birds make their way over the nearby fields and my heart swelled as I listened to James Allen, Tutor, talk about The Open Road.
He told me no one can hurt me without my consent.
He told me what was in my heart.
I spent 30 minutes being instructed, inspired, chided and enraptured.

I came in my house, kicked my shoes up and exhaled.

I didn’t set out on my walk KNOWING I was walking into A Princess Lesson, but I came home feeling just like I had.

As the weariness of Monday begins to set in, I can hear James Allen telling me that I Have Answers Within, that This Life is Not a Beginning and an End but A Small Piece of a Greater Journey.

James Allen also reminded me that as I am, so are you… and I just wanted to log on and invite you to your own Lesson in Nobility.
Google James Allen today and you’ll find a few lessons.
You might also find out that he’s already married and that he died 100 years ago. It will come as a HUGE shock, but you’ll be able to tap into your true center and overcome the grief.