This prince-less princess is fine
By Helena Oliviero
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Thursday, September 04, 2008
Girls adore a good princess tale. The bouffant gowns. The prince. The happily-ever-after.

It’s all make-believe, of course, but the pressure to meet a real-life prince —- even for grown, fiercely independent women, can be too much, says Susan Johnston, a former Delta Air Lines flight attendant who worked for the airline for almost 20 years.

Johnston, who is 42 and single, has traveled the globe and has enjoyed her life with friends and volunteering at her church.

Still, she can’t keep a nagging question at bay.

“People often ask, ‘why are you still single’ like something’s wrong with me,” she said.

So Johnston, who lives in Atlanta, decided to write her own modern-day princess story, “Princess Bubble” (Bubble Gum Press, $12) featuring a princess/flight attendant who doesn’t meet a prince.

It’s a semi-autobiographical story for girls, so let’s take a look at where Johnston and Princess Bubble connect.

Princess Bubble

Graduates from the Royal University and takes a job with the Royal Heir Line.

A bridesmaid many times. Told she could wear dresses and satin shoes again.

Asked, “Why hasn’t a beautiful princess like you found a prince?”

Joins www.findyourprince.com. Kissses a frog, but there’s no prince.

Fairy Godmother tells her that true happiness is not about finding a prince. “True happiness,” says the fairy Godmother “is found by loving God, being kind to others, and being comfortable with who you are already.”

On the last page of the book, Princess Bubble is single, smiling and looking forward to the future.

Susan Johnston

Graduates from Auburn University in 1988 and two days after graduation begins working as a flight attendant for Delta Air Lines.

Flies with Delta for 18 years. Now works in the real estate business.

A bridesmaid 17 times. Also told she could wear the dresses again, but never has.

Frequently asked “Why aren’t you married yet?”

Joins Yahoo singles in 2007 and goes on a disastrous date. It was just a few weeks after losing her father and the date tells her she “should be over it.” She weeps on the date and has never tried online dating since.

Her inner voice tells her she shouldn’t miss out on where she’s at by focusing on where she wants to end up.

In the latest page of her own story, Johnston is single, but would love to meet The One someday. “But if I don’t, I will still be very content.”