The Day He Proposed

After He Said Cancer | A Memoir

“Where there is love there is life.”  – Mahatma Gandhi

He dipped his hand into the dark water lapping up on the beach. From where we stood on Vancouver Island, we could see Washington State on the other side of the Strait of Juan de Fuca, which connects the Salish Sea with the Pacific Ocean. The sun sparkled on the water. It was a beautiful day in early June.

We were in Canada to attend an English-style garden party thrown by a good friend of mine outside of Victoria. I was thrilled by the opportunity to see her and show off my boyfriend of nine months. He enjoyed opportunities to meet new people and socialize. And I loved having him by my side.

It had been his idea to walk along the water before getting ready for the garden party. Our bed and breakfast was a short walk from the rocky beach. Although I would have usually looked down at the rocks to collect pretty stones, I was so taken by this man that I could hardly see the world around me. So, I walked past the beautiful beach agate, holding his hand and feeling the electricity between us.

He was the first to spot a seal playfully frolicking a stone’s throw off the shore. The gray head bobbed up and down and seemed interested in us as we walked along the beach. Occasionally, we heard a small snort from the seal before it looked left and right and then dove down into the water. I was enjoying watching the seal frolicking in the waves and hunting for an unsuspecting fish.

I remember looking at him and thinking how lucky I was to have found such a good man. A man who loved me deeply and showed his love through respect, care, and kindness. A man whose words and actions were aligned. A man for whom honor meant something. He felt so right for me.

He scooped the water up towards his face and inhaled the scent of the salty sea while closing his eyes. He lingered in the moment for a few seconds and then turned toward me. Suddenly, he dropped to one knee and began fumbling in his pocket. He looked more vulnerable than I had ever seen him.

My heart knew what was happening before my brain could grasp it. I burst into tears and began shaking.

The question I was expecting came from his lips as he opened a small box. In his eyes, I could see his love and deep commitment to a life together. This was the man that I wanted to spend the rest of my life with.

“Yes! Yes!” I cried, feeling a river of love and emotions rushing through me, all at once. I took his arms in mine and pulled him up into an embrace.

Tears ran down my cheeks as we kissed, and I wondered what I had done so right to deserve this man’s love. My tears turned into sobs of happiness and body shakes. I lost track of the world and only felt our love and the joy of having found this wonderful man.

When he put the ring on my finger, I looked into his eyes and felt the cool and salty sea breeze on my wet face. Then, I looked down at the ring sparkling in the sun. I hugged and kissed him again, while telling him how much I loved him.

Another couple on the beach came into view. We pulled slightly away from each other and began walking back to the lodge. I was shaking so much that I needed his arm for support. I couldn’t take my eyes off him, and he couldn’t stop smiling.

My knees were weak, and I chose my steps carefully along the rocky beach. To have found deep love with such a caring and respectful man was a gift from Heaven.

I had never been so happy in my life.

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