Why forever-after is a lifetime project: With Love by Simran Mangharam

Here’s what the fairytales don’t tell you: No matter who you marry, change is inevitable. Learning to change together, over time, is key.

I like to think of life as a library. One begins in the children’s section, with its pastel shades and simple plotlines. Proceeds through teen angst and fantasy fiction. If one is lucky, spends as little time as possible amid the tragedies. And ends up in the romances.

Snowy (2008), part of a series of artworks titled Fallen Princesses. The project, by visual artist Dina Goldstein, reimagines fairytale princess in realistic, modern-day scenarios.

Now, this is where the analogy becomes hard to maintain. Because every good romance novel ends in a beautiful wedding. But once the wedding is done, so is the neat progression between