When you were in science class, oh… say the seventh grade. Do you remember the one lesson that teacher kept drilling into your head; lesson after lesson? Well, I do. It was to guess, test, and revise! Science is a lot like dating. You have to pick which two chemicals go together and which ones will be preposterous if combined. I have my trials and tribulations in this department and let me tell you. I’m glad it is not science class because I would most likely fail these sorts of lessons.
Before I was out of high school I had many boyfriends behind me. Each of them promising me everything I could ever want from them, and all, ultimately failing to love me for me. No one I had been with was worthy of being with me for the rest of my life. For all who had, “applied” for the job, were respectfully declined. When you are 15-18yrs old you shouldn’t think about such things as marriage, or love of a boyfriend/girlfriend; you should think about your family, school, and what new artists’ CD you are going to buy the next time you go to the store.
The reason I, as well as many others, have failed in the “love” department is because we all, men and women alike, strive to “figure each other out” when all a relationship really needs is understanding, love, and trust. Men and women alike believe that each sex has a secret to what they want. THAT’S NOT TRUE! Women or at least I am, very un-complex and simple. Love me and I’ll love you. Trust me and I’ll trust you. Care for me and I’ll never leave your side.
When I first started dating I had no clue what to do. I went into the Air Force, fresh out of high school, so I hadn’t even had time to learn anything about it. My first encounter with love was shortly after I was injured performing a duty on the job. I was sent to x-ray flight, the team you are put on if you are “broken”, to heal. While I was there I became really good friends with a rambunctious guy named Bryce. He was funny, overzealous and super charming, not to mention super cute! He and I became the best of friends despite our personality differences. He was outgoing and rowdy, while I was the quietly outspoken country girl. We were together for two weeks when he asked me to marry him. I did what any normal eighteen year old girl would do; I laughed in his face. When I realized he was serious, I stopped and proceeded to bombard him with what ifs and hypothetical. He complied and didn’t ask me again… until seven months later.
We were taking a late night stroll, like we sometimes did. We walked all over base, clear to the other side, in fact! We talked to each other, about our pasts, what our futures were to look like, what we wanted in a companion, and what we thought of ourselves as well as each other. The night sky was beautiful and even though there were countless street lamps shining, we could look up at the stars and see every one of them clearly. It started to rain and we ran for shelter. We sat on a bus bench, holding each other, and waiting for the, now down pouring, rain to finish. As we sat there we continued our talk. As he talked about all the good we had seen and plenty of the bad, he got down on one knee. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small black velvet box. Inside it was a ring he had showed me seven months earlier. It had been his grandmothers’ wedding ring.
Tears gently rolled down my cheeks as he took my hands and proposed all the right he would do for me and all the wrong that was sure to ensue; but he promised that through it all we would always come out on top of the situation, holding onto one another. He then looked at me, my eyes all watery and my vision blurring from the tears, he leaned in and gently kissed my cheek. That night was the night I knew Bryce and I was and always will be in love.
Looking back on the days of love; seeing how much Bryce and I have both grown since that day, I wonder, if I’d have never met the love of my life and I were doomed to wonder through life not knowing if there was that special someone out there for me; would I have survived? Well, I think I would’ve survived, but I’m glad I didn’t have to. See, knowing that there was someone out there for me, who would love me and be mine forever; is kind of a bummer. Not one of those, “Oh, no my parking spot’s been taken! Now I’ll have to walk an extra ten steps into the building!” But more of an, “Oh no, what would’ve happened if no one had ever told me about Santa?” For example, meeting the love of my life took away the wonder, the aww, the ability to date if you will. I don’t know what it’s like to go “clubbing” and pick up some sexy stranger. So, for all of you dreaming for love, STOP! Because a wise man once told me, “The good life starts, when you quite looking for a better one.”
