Finding "the one"

I have always loved movies like “Princess Diaries” where a girl living a normal life finds out she is indeed royalty. I enjoy watching scenes of royal balls and imagining what it would be like to dress up and be a part of such an occasion. But, in reality I am a high school teacher. I will never make a lot of money and I am not marrying a rich man. I have no unrealistic expectations of grandeur—I will most likely never attend a royal ball. So this, June 25, 2011, is it. My wedding day is my one chance to catch the attention of everyone in the room, to feel like a princess. And I must wear a dress that makes me look and feel like a princess.

Two weekends ago my mom and I began shopping for this dress. Two stores and many dresses later, I now know it is going to be a time consuming process to find “the one.” This quest for the perfect dress made me think about how the search for the dress is in many ways like the search for a spouse. There were some dresses I knew I wouldn’t like as soon as I saw them—just as there have been guys I knew I never wanted to be with from the moment we met. Then, there were the dresses that looked pretty on the hanger, but just didn’t work for me. These are kind of like the guys that intrigued me, I saw potential in them that we might work well together. Then, the more I get to know the person, I discover that though he may be a perfectly nice guy, he’s just not the right one for me. Maybe our personalities don’t mix well, or maybe he dreams of living in a hut in Africa… Still, though none of these dresses or men were the perfect match for me, they did accomplish something very important: they helped me get a clearer picture of the characteristics that I want and don’t want in “the one.”

So the hunt for “the one” (dress) continues. I have seen some dresses that looked pretty, but I still believe that there is something better out there for me. I don’t want to settle for a dress that’s ok or even pretty when I could have worn the dress that is perfect. I am still holding out, waiting for that dress that takes my breath away as soon as I see it. Waiting for the moment of realization when I say, that’s it! This is “the one”! Going back to the men, I have not dated many guys. In fact, I have always been concerned about making the wrong choice in a spouse. What if I choose a guy who may be a sweetheart and who I may be happy with, but who is only “Plan B.” What if I settled for second best when, if I would have just been patient and kept searching, I could have found my perfect match? When I first met Carl, I had no idea what I thought about him. But he knew. He says he knew from the first time he met me that I was “the one” for him. Then, he set about the not-so-easy task of convincing me that he was “the one” for me too. It was not an easy or a quick battle that he fought for my heart, but I am so glad he persevered. I am so thankful that I’ve found “the one” and I will continue to search for the perfect dress, “the one,” to wear on the day we begin our new life together.