^{The wedding ring... a tie that binds?}

Picturing myself eventually settling down, having the perfect partner, building a wonderful, happy and strong married life and soon after, creating my own family…makes me feel so light and inspired. I'm already 28, and couldn't still find the right person whom I will share everything with. Don't get me wrong… I'm a bit nervous, but I'm not desperate!  For me, there is a lot more to marriage besides the romance and love you and your partner feel for one another. Couple needs a good team work and it requires effort to have a successful one. I have ample of friends who tied the knot so early and are so happy…Some others got themselves into a married life just recently and is having a miserable life. Time doesn't really matter. I myself am avoiding putting a pressure unto myself with the idea that I am getting old and may never have the opportunity to get married. I have this mental list to prevent myself from entering a married life for wrong reasons. I'm an observant type, and I do get and learn a lot of good lessons in life from my friends' and loved ones' experiences. I always seem to be the good listener, a friend whose shoulders are always ready for them to cry on, I may not be the best adviser, but if somebody is in hurt feelings, and is confiding to you how bad they feel, you don't need to say anything at all. Just listen, give comfort, give a hug, and make that person feel like he/she has confided to the right person. The love and life experiences of my loved ones which they've shared with me gave me strength and with it, I learned how to deal with life's struggles. I always carry the lessons I learned from those experiences of my loved ones with me and am learning from it as if it happened to me.

I have this thinking that before I jump into a marriage, I always need to ask myself if I am ready to be a wife? As my older brother Oriole says, being a spouse is a lot different from being a girlfriend, and it requires more attention and bigger responsibilities. Another thing is the financial matter. The expenses are not just like having a dinner date where my boyfriend needs to cover the dinner bill. It is important that you know ahead of time how you plan to handle financial problems including emergencies. Being ready to commit ones' self and stay faithful comes next in line. If you feel so sure about your partner and loves him/her dearly but is still having a question in mind like how would it be to see and meet other people, then you probably need to wait and have the wedding a little later. You need to prove yourself that the chapter of meeting a new person is closed for good. Being able to stay faithful and committed to your partner is one of the biggest things that keep the marriage together.

There are still some things that hinder me from getting married. I still need to find answers, and until I find the answer, then and only then I can get married. I want a happy, healthy and lasting marriage (well, who doesn't?) that's why I'm not involving myself into a married life until I decide and feel like I'm truly ready for it.