Choosing to love

Once upon a time, I dreamed of marrying a handsome prince who would whisk me away to a mythical castle and make all my dreams come true.

And then I grew up.

For most of us, that prince (or princess) doesn't exist. At least not in the way that we once imagined. Instead of Camelot we come face to face with a world that is not always so enchanting; a blemished Utopia. Marriage is not for the weak-willed, the noncommitted, the intolerant, disloyal or selfish. It is a work in progress, always changing, always challenging, always asking for intervention and action. It tests your heart, it shakes your roots, it blows against your sails, sometimes taking you into uncharted and unfamiliar waters. It asks for patience, consideration, faithfulness and dedication. And once given, they are sometimes stretched to the limit in a journey that tests them all.

Inside a photo booth this man (now my husband) and I sat, waiting for a flash to capture the mood. We should have displayed somberness, stress, worry and fear. I was awaiting medical tests and an uncertain future. But instead we seized the moment, grabbing joy and fun and living life as it is intended. And though sometimes it indeed, kicks you in the pants, you can counter the bruises with laughter, light-heartedness and the will to forge ahead, turbulence and all.

Perhaps our castle will never be built, and maybe our dreams haven't come true. But the prince who sticks by me through both the black and white and technicolor moments of life makes the wishing more fun and the magic, more real.