again...

The dreams keep coming. There's no question as to the reason; my anticipation, hope and excitement belies the obvious. Ready. Waiting. I catch myself imagining the day and a smile tugs at the corners of my lips, unbidden. Will there be tears? Will I be taken off guard? Where will it happen? But of course - the question lingering, teetering, at the very top - when?

The most recent dream was, thankfully, a bit more emotionally involved. We were somewhere near a beach. It was evening. We were walking past restaurants and storefronts, and suddenly I'd been pulled aside to an alley of shadows and quivering lights of the night. Dan stood in front of me, his hands holding my arms. He professed his love and quickly blurted with emotion heavy on his voice 'will you marry me?' As he was saying this, he removed a ring box from his pocket; opening it there was another box inside with the ring visible from within the box. When I opened it I found not the ring I'd picked out, but something different. I still loved it.

When I recounted this tale to my mother, she asked if I had thought what my reaction truly might be if I didn't receive the ring I'd picked out with her on our excursion. Thinking on that, I realized that my reaction would be the same no matter what- sheer and utter joy that the so long awaited had finally come to pass. It's not so much the jewelry that matters, but the meaning behind the symbol. As a friend so simply yet eloquently put it after her recent engagement: "He loves me." And that is all I need.