A year after

2013 was the year when he proposed, when we got engaged. It was September, just a few days before he left for work.

The days leading to that night were busy since he was preparing his things for his flight. I was clueless that it was going to happen. We spent most of the days together and I thought that he did not have time to prepare for his proposal and get a ring for me. But, it happened.

We went to a fundraising gig after we got engaged, and so, we had this photo:

When I told some close friends that I quickly responded 'yes' to his proposal, they would ask how he did it. I would tell them that he got down on one knee, babbled some 'things' I almost slapped (or, maybe I did, a little) him because I couldn't believe that he was doing it but nevertheless accepted him, undoubtedly. By the way, the ring was too small for my finger at that time and couldn't get it fit in; he later explained why it was like that. Such a simple proposal, whatchathink?

Maybe, some friends expected something grand, something with elements of surprise, more than I did. Especially nowadays when people puts pressure on how marriage proposals should be done. You could google 'marriage proposal' and find a lot of websites that say how to do it. Especially in this generation when a lot of moments were recorded through videos. You could find clips with titles such as Greatest Proposal Ever and Best Wedding Proposal and so on.

Well, compared to those uploaded videos and great suggestions you've seen and read so far, that night when he proposed to me would look simple, really. But that night was special. It did not need any other tricks, gimmick, connivance with friends, video coverage, and audience. What it needed was him and me, our faith, and love, and nothing else. Wait, and a ring to seal it, of course. There was something I saw in him that night, that even when he's not speaking, I would understand him.

If some people would ask again how he proposed, I would like to tell them how that moment was different. Instead, let me just tell it here how I saw him that night.

It was Saturday. We had a prayer meeting with Antiochers in the church. We sat beside each other, and told others that he was going abroad again. Most of them expressed that they would miss him. I couldn't remember what happened in the meeting but I recalled, he would hold my hand from time to time, then I would look at him like I was asking why. We were packing away our things and preparing to leave the church when he asked me to stay inside for a while, when others already went out. I was distracted that we might be left by others. Then. he got down on his knee. He was holding something in his hand, a ring. He was saying some things that I could not understand at first, because he sounded like he was stuttering. He looked vulnerable and happy at the same time. I realized that he was proposing. And then I thought how could someone look unsure but assured, uncertain but so certain. I didn't let him finish whatever he was saying, I punched him a little in his shoulder. I couldn't believe that he asked me to marry him. And, I said yes. 

We were certain about each other, and no matter how mindless I was that night, I would still choose to say yes. Over and over. It was one of those nights when I saw how much he became open and honest to me, how he's so assured and brave when he's with me, how he didn't care that his whole self was exposed to me because he knew, I'll love him anyway. Because that's the truth, I love him any way.

A year has passed after that night. And we are excited for that day, greater than any days we had together so far.

"Tell him yes. Even if you are dying of fear, even if you are sorry later, because whatever you do, you will be sorry all the rest of your life if you say no."
~Gabriel Garcí­a Márquez, Love in the Time of Cholera