#48 Suddenly. Forever.

I got married. After almost nineteen years together, we tied the knot in a small civil ceremony that was supposed to be a simple signature in a dark office, but suddenly turned into a beautiful event in front of people who love us.

Our rings tell our story. That bridge shows where we knew we’d be together.

Suddenly. That’s how the best things happen, that’s how I knew I loved my husband all those years ago. When the possibility of losing the best person I’d ever met was made clear by a friend of mine, when I felt I had to cook dinner and bring it to a place I didn’t know how to reach, when looking at him pained me and healed me, that’s when I knew it would be forever... or as people say in churches, until something force us apart.

On the wedding day, I left home early for my hairdresser appointment, and that’s when I realized how nervous I was. I noticed my legs trembling as I reviewed what I had written on my phone, what I wanted to tell him once we signed the papers. I didn’t think of it as my vows or as something I had to do. I just felt like I had to write those things I knew I would be unable to remember once people surrounded us.

My hairdo was simple but nice: a few curls and a nice shiny hairpin. The least I needed was a brick and mortar construction over my head to worry about by the end of the day. At home, I wore my dress, covered in flowers, with my daughter's help. Zippers can be tricky when your hands aren’t steady, and having her, my baby girl, who soon will be an adult, helped me to focus, to relax, to enjoy the moment.

I attached an old earring to my purse, one my father had gifted to my mother many years before, so that I would have them both with me. I put my phone, wallet, and keys inside, and smiled as I saw the whole outfit. I’m a bride, I thought, and I left the room, ready for the action.

I wonder what my father would have said that day….

When I walked down the stairs, careful not to trip in my new white satin shoes, I saw them all: my kids, my boyfriend, the flowers, the smiles... and I began to cry like I’d seen women cry in TV shows and movies, happily and uncontrollably.  Thank God and the cosmetic industry for the waterproof makeup products and soft tissues. Without them, I would have been a hot mess.

Then I saw my boyfriend's tie—his design, the most acclaimed item of the day—the shoes—personalized too—, the perfect suit, and the biggest smile. He gave me my bouquet and held my hands, and I knew everything would be okay because he was by my side, as he has always been. We drove together to the city hall. I held my flowers like a trophy as we arrived at the building where our friends waited patiently. We kissed, hugged, and took photos with everyone, then looked for the office, which turned out to be a large room where a nice lady officiated our ceremony.

“Would you like to say anything to each other, or to the audience?” she asked us.

I took my phone out of my purse, looked for my notes, and apologized to the audience for being unable to remember what I’d written. I’m a writer, not an actor... then, I read out loud.

Today is the day of yes.

Today we continue what began with a dance, was confirmed on a bridge, and we promised in a park.

You are the best thing that happened to me, the wish that came true even without knowing that I wanted it, one of those that only appear in fairy tales.

You changed my life, little by little and suddenly. Your yes to love me was better than any lottery; my yes was inevitable.

You are “yes”:

Yes, to the new adventures.

Yes, to a family.

Yes to all the good things we created and lived together.

Yes to all the bad things that we overcame together, that tested and made us strong.

Yes to love, to a complete life, to a future together.

Remember that I adore you, here and anywhere else in the universe.

Today and forever.