Roses to Rocks

"Love was just a glance away, a warm embracing dance away"

- Frank Sinatra

Champagne, fine dine and a ring. He gently took my hand, kneeled and said the words that had been prickling around for a while. My heart wrung against my chest and a velvety grip of sweet fragrant memories tightened around me. "Are you as lost as I am?" He grinned, looking at the ranting professor. Hence, the seed was sown. The blossoming brunch laughs, dulcet kisses and magical nights were the highlights of the first few months. The delicate petals of silly jokes and nicknames grew swirling around us engulfing us in its snuggly fleecy blanket. The embryonic bud of friendship matured into a beautiful rose of love. We laid there in its warm secure embrace, never wanting things to change. However, they did.

The tingling eventual discovery of habits had begun. His silly narcissism, funny movie references, cute snort, football obsession, weird ambidextrousness and so on. These actions seemed harmless, until disagreement. The pretty rose furiously fluttered in the storm of quarrels, strived to stand unyielding through the rain of tears and even tolerated thunderous arguments. The overboard narcissism, unwanted movie references, annoying snort, and unnecessary obsessions transpired a newfound roughness. After the gloomy thunderstorm, wilted and withered petals fell off giving us a chance to turn back, but the roots held strong. The tender and delicate trust sprouted again, stronger. The emollient hugs and compromise made fresh crimson petals grow and the wrinkled ones reminded us of the storm. The eerie quietness subdued and this time he smiled a little broader, hugged a little tighter and kissed a little longer.

Drifting on the rags of time, hand in hand, we have come this far. As his grip around my fingers tightened, I snapped back to reality. I was living in a scene out of a dream. His eyes were searching for answers. The shriveled up old deep maroon velvet rose of our bond gave me all the answers I needed. I stared at the shiny rock as it glowed dimmer than his eyes. Fighting the imprisoning patterns of our ego, rising above the mortal fights and still, willing to know more, we stood in front of each other. I gaped at him wide-eyed with utter shock. This rock was proof of our ripe relation. We were a team. We will always be a team. The lump in my throat could not hold any longer. I left myself free and yelled, "YES!"