#Yearof50. Entry 15: The Proposal

As Mark and I celebrate our 20th anniversary this weekend, I’ve been wondering which of the many stories of our journey so far you might like to read. I think I have one worth taking your time. …

In May 2008, we drove to New York City with our dearest friends Ingrid and Edward. Yours truly had a master plan to propose to Mark in Central Park. Did NYC or the Park have anything to do with our history? Nothing whatsoever. I just happen to like grand gestures. My friends were in on the plan, of course. On the big day, we enjoyed a few hours at the Met and then they came up with an excuse to leave. I suggested to Mark we go for a walk in the adjacent Central Park.

Now, those who know we well like to claim that my mantra is “There’s no fun like planned fun”. Ahem. Am I organizer, a planner, a details person? Guilty. I knew exactly where I wanted the proposal to happen—Bow Bridge. I had prepped my message, and all I needed to do was to get Mark to his designated spot.

Alas, Mark was a very uncooperative partner. As it was May, the Park was in spectacular blooms of cherry blossoms. As I marched and stared ahead in deep concentration, I came to realize I was alone. I looked back to find Mark climbing one of the cherry trees. He was ridiculously happy in the tree.

As this activity was not on the approved agenda, yours truly grew immediately anxious and I cajoled him to come down and join me on the path. I’m sure he must have wondered why I was becoming upset and turning into what he now affectionately calls “PooPoo Head”.

I managed to get him down and we started anew down the path. I ran over the proposal scenario in my head once again. Then he went off the path to the left, as he found a gently sloping hill that had a solo cherry tree surrounded by a blanket of cherry blossoms. Down the hill he went. He then proceeded to sit under the tree. I was still on the path, staring over toward Bow Bridge, then to Mark, and back over to the Bridge. I was trying to figure out how to get him over to the spot at which he was supposed to be standing.

In a swirl of anxiety and panic, I was suddenly overcome with an epiphany: this WAS the spot! This was the moment. Mark’s sense of playfulness and wonder had turned Central Park into a place that would actually have real meaning. He created the space for a memory that I could never have seen with my blinders.

So, I wandered over and sat down next to Mark. In that beautiful space, at the bottom of a hill, with a pond nearby, and under the most beautiful cherry tree, I asked Mark to be my husband.

(Well, not totally alone. Your silly boys had not packed well and Mark was wearing a pair of Edward’s sneakers.)

Mark honoured me by saying yes, and we were married on August 15, 2009 in the lovely Morgan Memorial Chapel at Queen’s. If you read Mark’s recent guest entry in this series, you know our dinner and reception were at Ban Righ Hall, where we had our fateful first dance that very same day in 2001. At our wedding reception, off to the side in an alcove, we had a beautiful cherry tree , provided by Patrick and Ray, as the place under which to place gifts.

So, thank you Mark for being the creative and playful spark, who always reminds me to be more in the moment and laugh and dream and be silly.