The One
Thursday, July 26th, 2007Something strange is afoot.
The most curious thing happened last month when The Boy and I came back from London. Of a sudden, the “engaged yet?” queries began. Yup, that’s right. As it turns out, quite a few friends and my own mother thought I’d come back with more than just a stamp in my passport.
I have to say, I find it all just a tad bit amusing. There wasn’t one romantic urban dinner or hand-in-hand country walk during the whole trip that made me hold my breath in anticipation. So why is everyone else holding theirs?
The thing is, although I’ve watched a number of friends wait out proposals from their engaging boyfriends, my brain neglected to imagine that I’d ever be in their place. I somehow never thought I’d be that girl, the one for whom an alleged engagement pends, whose ring finger is watched for that sparkly dénouement.
Instead, I’ve been the girl who saw a “hope chest” take shape at the age of 17 and received grandpa’s handcrafted rocking chair as a Master’s graduation present since I “wasn’t getting married.”
I’m the girl with a scorecard that boasts 5 ex-boyfriends who each proposed to the girl they dated immediately after her. I used to joke that if a guy wanted to meet “the one;” he should first date and then break up with “this one.” But the joke was never that funny or that sincere.
So what now, if after everything, it turns out that the joke is on me?
Curious indeed.
As all of my older cousins are now happily married and producing the next generation, all eyes are on me. Single me for the record. It’s not a pretty feeling!
Don’t sweat it. My boy and I were together nine years before we got around to getting married. And then only because I got pregnant and didn’t want my kid at my wedding. So get knocked up if you want to force the issue (I’m totally kidding about that), but otherwise what’s the rush? It’s about the relationship, not the ring.
I totally agree- about the no rush thing. In fact, I’m kind of proud of myself for not turning into the cliche girlfriend who views “the ring” as the ultimate prize for a game well played.