An open letter to Princess Tiana

Dear Tiana,

Today I got to meet you for the first time.  I’m a longtime Disney fan and I’ve loved Princess and the Frog and its soundtrack ever since it came out.  All day today I took a scarf around the park with me to get everyone I could to sign it, even the mayor!  I explained to everyone that I was moving back to my home in Ohio and that it was very cold there and that I wanted to have some Disney magic to keep me warm!  Throughout the day I got a variety of responses, most lovely, but none as heartwarming as the words I heard from you.  It was in the middle of the afternoon, sometime between 2:30-3:00 and I was tired and ready for a break that would come while watching the Celebrate a Dream Come True parade.  You asked why I had to leave and I explained that I had been on an internship and the program was over in January.  You first offered me a job in your restaurant, which don’t get me wrong, I very much appreciated (especially as a writing major, even if that meant I was writing the descriptions for your beignets/menu ;)), but that wasn’t what got to me.  You told me that this was always going to be my home even though I was moving away.  You thanked me for the long hours and all the work that I’ve done on my internship.  I don’t think I’ve been thanked like that since I’ve been down here.  Tiana, everyone knows and remembers you’re a princess, but honey, you are the QUEEN of working hard.  I sing your songs all the time to keep me going, especially “Almost There,” and hearing those words from you meant the WORLD to me.  Reminding me that this was still my home, even though I was leaving indefinitely, brought me to tears.  So Tiana, from the bottom of my heart, thank you.

With love,

Stephanie Ann Porten