...and...scene.
in 2004, i made light of the fact that every girl that i ever had any interest in, and was still single, was systematically married off. like a bittersweet parade of painful assurance, the foil-lined invitaions arrived one after the other in my mailbox.
joking with a friend over thanksgiving of last year, i mentioned how nice it was to not have anyone left out there who i could become even slightly distracted by. as a rule, i tend not to fall often. but, when i do...i fall pretty hard. these falls have created a lot of what-ifs over the years. and as each of these amazing girls somehow stayed single, there was always a thought in the back of my mind: "what if...?"
last year took care of those what-ifs. with one, distant exception. a friend of mine from high school who was, and always will be, the exclamation point to more than a few of the great defining moments of my younger days. we've stayed in touch over the years and it has always amazed me that of all of our friends, she is the one that remained single. i never found it comical when someone would say "why don't the two of you just get married?" that would have suited me fine. but, i figured out years ago that it wasn't me she was looking for. but still, "what if...?" all things considered, it was beyond me how anyone in her immediate circle couldn't see the unique and beautiful woman that i've known for years.
well, she got engaged this weekend. we had dinner when i was in colorado in august, just weeks before she met her fiance. i was reminded at that time, as i always am when we spend time together, of the hope and joy that comes from a life lived for God. how when we trust Him absolutely, feelings of the present, fears of the future, even regrets of the past just don't seem to matter. it was true reassurance that He is in control and everything is going to be okay.
congratulations, kaley. and thank you for providing me with one final exclamation point. one that fully allows me to move on with my new life.
even if it was one year too late.
joking with a friend over thanksgiving of last year, i mentioned how nice it was to not have anyone left out there who i could become even slightly distracted by. as a rule, i tend not to fall often. but, when i do...i fall pretty hard. these falls have created a lot of what-ifs over the years. and as each of these amazing girls somehow stayed single, there was always a thought in the back of my mind: "what if...?"
last year took care of those what-ifs. with one, distant exception. a friend of mine from high school who was, and always will be, the exclamation point to more than a few of the great defining moments of my younger days. we've stayed in touch over the years and it has always amazed me that of all of our friends, she is the one that remained single. i never found it comical when someone would say "why don't the two of you just get married?" that would have suited me fine. but, i figured out years ago that it wasn't me she was looking for. but still, "what if...?" all things considered, it was beyond me how anyone in her immediate circle couldn't see the unique and beautiful woman that i've known for years.
well, she got engaged this weekend. we had dinner when i was in colorado in august, just weeks before she met her fiance. i was reminded at that time, as i always am when we spend time together, of the hope and joy that comes from a life lived for God. how when we trust Him absolutely, feelings of the present, fears of the future, even regrets of the past just don't seem to matter. it was true reassurance that He is in control and everything is going to be okay.
congratulations, kaley. and thank you for providing me with one final exclamation point. one that fully allows me to move on with my new life.
even if it was one year too late.
posted by cade at 1:51 PM
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