I noticed this as I was walking across the South Congress Ave. bridge in Austin on December 31, 2012 and snapped this picture real quick, thinking there was a statement if I ever saw one.
My husband and I were on our way to Threadgill’s to eat.
That day just happens to be our wedding anniversary.
I do like him. Actually, not only do I like him, I love him. A lot.
When I look at this picture, I think of a castle covered in vines, surrounded by a moat in a mythical forest submerged in fairy tales.
A prince and his princess.
It’s the modern day Prince Charming’s graffiti to his Cinderella.
Happily ever after.
An update and a further thought on “I Like You” …. as of 2/26/14 (because the thoughts on these kinds of things sometimes evolve)
Recently, thoughts of “perfect just the way you are” filled my head out of nowhere….. but first, the rest of the story…..
Originally, I threw out this piece and just was not sure about it, although there was something there I knew I liked. Then, my mom kept talking about it. Mentioning it over and over again as one of her favorites that ranked up there with “Cracked Beauty” and I thought, “Well, maybe there is something to this?” Sure enough, it’s well liked by others too, no pun intended. I create for me first. From there, when I let it go, it may or may not speak to others and that’s ok…..but….
No telling the pieces I have thrown out that I didn’t “like”, that others may have connected with, or that I may have connected with for that matter. Don’t we all do that in some way or another? We are such an instant gratification society sometimes. I wonder how much we miss and throw out because we didn’t let it sit for a while to realize we really do like it.
In the end, I realized, “I Like You”, though it may have not been perfect in my mind at the time, I “liked” it despite it’s imperfections and finally accepted it for what it was and in turn, found an additional, totally different meaning over time. I may have not been in “love” with it, but I sure did have a strong “like” for it and sometimes a little like can go a whole lot further than a lot of love.
So, back to my first interpretation of this piece…..
If you really think about it, Prince Charming was the one being charmed, not the one doing the charming and Cinderella was a damsel in distress with some serious baggage.
Under the surface, imperfection can be the draw to the like. Love can be lost in search of perfection. You never know what you may be missing out on. If the slipper fits, wear it.
Written by Bonnie Feaster Chapa
Created from an original photo Bonnie Feaster Chapa took in Austin, Texas December 31, 2012.
Hand signed by Bonnie Feaster Chapa. Art Available At Bonnie Chapa’s Etsy Store Ridin On The Right Side

I Like You © Bonnie Feaster Chapa