On Proposals

When I was in college I went to this girls' college group mixer. We were supposed to get to know each other better. Everyone brought something for dinner, we ate, and then we branched off into smaller groups. In one of the rooms, my group started off the conversation with "what is your dream proposal?"

I was kind of taken aback by the question. It was honestly something I had never thought of. Dream guy, yes. Dream wedding, yes. But the proposal? Not so much. I mean, with a wedding you have at least a 50% say in the matter. But why bother ever thinking about an awesome proposal when you can't control a bit of it? It's not exactly like I'm going to write it down on paper and then slip it to the guy in an envelope.

We went around the room and all the girls shared their fatasies of beach sunsets and carriage rides and Eiffel Tower moments. Then they got to me.

"Uh, I guess, maybe, like....the guy and I are in a car and we're being pursued and shot at by some criminals or something, and we think we're about to die. And then he's like 'I love you, Joelle. If we make it, will you marry me?'"

To which all of the girls sort of dropped their jaws and replied "so like, you want him to propose only when you're about to die?" Well, when you put it that way. But I thought it sounded romantic. I guess we could be in an airplane that's about to crash, too. But why build up some perfect moment in your head? Because if it goes anyway but that, you could be disappointed.

If I ever do convince a man to propose to me though, I know what kind of ring I want. Edwardian style setting, white gold, size four. Kind of like this.

    or this