10/30/23

Personally, I wholeheartedly expected to cry. Ring unveilings merit that form of response, plus, to Jordans point, I cry all the time anyways. Sometimes my tears are warranted, other times they'e incomprehensible, bordering on absurd. The day of my proposal (aka the pinnacle of a 26-year-olds' life) everything was beautiful. My favorite thing about walking in the woods is there's truly no prerogative, one hikes simply to appreciate the sun and keep the trees company. With the exception of accidentally stepping on a skunk, you can't mess it up. Unlike basketball or tennis, there's no score keeping available. On this particular morning, the leaves had decided to shift into their brighter autumn-wear, turning the entire landscape golden. Cool water marched swiftly between scattered river rocks, and despite being 7,000 feet above sea level, the air was so full you'd think simply inhaling it could cure asthma. In summary, the setting supported Davids' claim "The heavens declare the glory of God; And the firmament shows His handiwork. "

So why does Jordan recall me acting "not too high, not too low, just smiling very calm" in response to his heavily anticipated question by the waterfall? Simply put, I felt peace. Overwhelming peace. Oftentimes, I allocate colossal efforts to predicting outcomes. I live by this nonsensical rule that mandates conceptualizing every way in which an event could go awry. I believe, by forecasting disastrous outcomes early on, I can better equip myself to handle the ensuing casualties and therefore get a head start on the chaos. Despite having zero historical evidence to uphold this rule, I religiously endorse it. During my hike up the mountain towards my proposal though, a new thought emerged. If we've truly laid our lives down, then the outcome doesn't matter. If mans' chief end is to glorify God, the entirety of our ambitions are insignificant. There are no true successes or failures, because through both, the realization and demolition of our hopes, we are still able labour faithfully. The reward, our greatest joy, is to endure all circumstances alongside love itself. All this is to stay, yes, I'm excited to graduate from Ms. to Mrs., but I'm far more ecstatic to approach every pending unknown in life alongside Jordan. This is a story about two best friends equally willing to tailor their happiness around whatever their Father has prepared for them. No agenda, just love.

Registry