It feels like just yesterday for Mari when she had goosebumps while preparing for the prom. Although years have passed since that day, it still feels like yesterday. Mari recalls sitting on her vanity, just finishing her makeup for the prom, and then she smoothed the skirt of her dress. Waves of emotions hit her as she was nervous but excited to have the most perfect dance with the boy she had liked for a long time. When the boy she liked asked her to walk with him, it was a dream come true.
When she saw him get off his red Honda Prelude, her heart beat rapidly, and it felt like it leapt out of her chest. He walked through the door and came straight to Mari, helping her hand, and at that moment, she knew for sure that he was the one Mari wanted for the rest of her life. The shift that she felt internally took over all the nervousness. Mari did not know their future but quietly hoped it would be good. It felt like everything was okay when they were together, and they improved with each other’s presence.
Fast-forward a few years, and she stood in front of the mirror. This time, she looked mature, and her reflection was glowing. Mari’s hair was perfectly pinned back, and her white dress was draped across the bed. The dress lay down, waiting for her to wear it. It was Mari’s wedding day, with the same guy she had wished to marry years ago! The boy Mari went to prom with would make her his wife now, and it was dreamy; a perfect love story. Every step Mari took towards her forever companions felt like a burden was taken off her shoulders. The moment she reached, he grabbed her hand and gently kissed it, and it was in that moment that a memory from the prom hit her again.
They took their vows and made their promises, each with much love and commitment. With each love uttered, it felt like Mari had made the best decision of her life: getting married to her passion. Just like that, the couple held to each other firmly through the good and bad days. Much has changed as life is all about messy hair and yoga pants rather than the fancy dresses Mari was so fond of wearing. Now, every time she looks in the mirror, she sees a strong, resilient woman who looks older but a lot softer, probably because of the love she has received; it remains unaffected by any uncertainty.
The Mari she sees in the mirror now is shaped by tears and laughter. Her eyes reflect all the dreams she has shared with the love of her life, one who kisses her every morning before leaving for work, but the goosebumps she got years ago remain the same. Since she married, the butterflies have permanently resided inside her belly. She wakes every morning and sees her baby girl sleeping beside her and on the door, standing there, her baby boy, who also wants to be cuddled and loved by mommy.
These two tiny beings roaming around the house prove how the vows and promises on the wedding day were fulfilled. Mari hopes and pictures the future beautifully with the same guy she wants to spend decades with. She looks forward to the couple’s hair turning grey and wrinkles appearing near their eyes from the laughter they shared. Life is never going to be perfect, but for her, when she has him by her side, everything seems easier, and Mari feels blessed.
Mari pictures the couple in a porch, holding hands and watching their grandchildren play. The couple looks forward to spending a life together, no matter how bumpy the road gets!
