A Real Live Princess Story

As a child I dreamed about big fluffy white dresses, a handsome prince, and a beautiful carriage pulled by perfect white stallions.  My barbies even had moments as princesses when Prince Ken would step in, save the young peasant Barbie from her life of floor scrubbing poverty and whisk her away to a beautiful castle made of blocks down the hallway. The fantasy of a common girl meeting a handsome prince is in the hearts of many, many women.

A question that I've grown to be irritated with is "Why all the hype over the royal wedding?"  People, we are watching a real live princess story right before our very eyes! Not only that, but we are also getting to experience history in the making!  I heard one of the British experts explain that so much of the wedding processional and ceremony included tradition that was 1000 years old.  I dare say that is something we Americans just can't understand. The world isn't all about the USA. We often think it is, and when it's not, we sometimes get our undies in a wad. And one more thing on this subject: Isn't it nice to have something good in the news? There is so much war, conflict, natural devastation, not to mention the celebrity meltdowns that seem to happen all too frequently. I've enjoyed watching the way Will and Kate look at each other, the way he seems to guide and protect her through all the hoopla, the way the British people are enjoying something good happening in their country that they cherish so deeply.  Good news is a good thing! Maybe we shouldn't complain about it.

But here is what has been bugging me the most.... It gets me fired UP! There have been a lot of comments and snide remarks concerning the cost of the royal wedding. It's like comparing planks to splinters if you ask me.

Apparently, the cost of the wedding is around 48 million US dollars. I will agree that is a whole heck of a lot of money.  I searched for awhile to try and find out how much the royal family gives and raises for charity each year.  You shouldn't be surprised to know that it seems like it is much more than the wedding cost.  Also, don't forget that most Americans love a good love story.  In fact, Beauty and the Beast had a gross US income of $146 million.  Cheers to a nerdy book girl falling in love with a hairy animal that is actually a prince!

Also, since we are talking about planks and splinters, did you know that Americans alone spent $1.9 billion dollars on Easter candy alone? That doesn't count flowers, decorations, or that fancy new Easter dress we just had to have.

And I hate to do it because I know we how we hold Christmas buying up on our holy pedestal, but let's consider what Americans (only Americans, not including the rest of the world) spend on Christmas: approximately 450 BILLION DOLLARS.  WHAT?!!!? According to Advent Conspiracy only $10 Billion is needed to end world thirst, to bring clean drinking water to all those in the world who do not have access... like we do... coming out of our shiny faucets or fancy fridge doors.  

So I think maybe we should cut Will and Kate a break and stop complaining about the extravagance of their wedding while we are eating a handful of jelly beans or our chocolate Easter bunny and walk to the kitchen to get a clean glass or bottle of water to wash it down.  I don't know about you, but the brief research I did on Americans' spending habits made me ill.  Our family is working on simplifying in order to give more. But, you better believe I'm going to enjoy looking at photographs of the big wedding while I'm praying that the two of them will love each other deeply, have a long happy marriage, and continue to work to give and help the many people in the world in distress.

(Credit for this photo goes to one really great photographer whose name I give up trying to find.)