Carrie With a C

We sat at the dinner table long after dinner was served.  In between bites of coffee cake, my grandma and grandpa reminisced on years past.  When and where they met, their wedding day, all the cities they called home and how my grandpa had my grandma “all night long” after the first date.  Bless his heart as my grandma yelled out "BOB YOU DID NOT!" along with a sweet slug to the shoulder and a roll of the eyes.  I laughed uncontrollably and my mom buried her face in her hands, shaking it left to right.  I love it. 

They had $30 to their name when they were married and "date night" meant walking the streets of Minneapolis watching the TVs in store front windows.  No concerts or fancy dinners, just the two of them enjoying each other’s presence.  Because really, do we need anything else? 

I leaned back in my chair and soaked in what was happening around me.  The look in their eyes and the smile on their faces, the way my grandpa would rub my grandmas back and hold her hand.  Then it hit me, so hard in fact that I went to the bedroom and pulled a Target receipt from the bottom of my purse to scribble down the outline of this very post. 

If having a love like theirs means waiting, put me on the list.

If it means they will accept the fact that the temperature in my car  has to be an even number, perfect.  If they will support my habit of changing my fingernail color weekly, how I won’t watch hockey without a beer to compliment it, and how every Sunday morning should begin with church, then put my name on the waiting list.  Carrie...with a C. 

There are many things I rush but being with the person that will better me is not one of them.  I see too many relationships that are forced and unrealistic because they think there is an unspoken rule in society that you must be married by 23 and if not, you better get your profile on Match.com going or start your cat, over-sized knit sweater and porcelain doll collection.  To these people - I want to physically shake you.

If you are single, listen up.  I am a firm believer that you are ridin’ solo for a reason….or maybe three.  Take it as a hint and study your life.  Are you ready to love someone or are there things about you that you want to work on first?  Are you done doing whatever you want, when you want, with who you want?  

If living a life of true and authentic love like my grandparents means I will be on the waiting list for 6 months, a year, or even 5 years, then hand me the buzzer and let me do my single-girl thing.