The right moment will show up – trust.

On a trip to Cincinnati one weekend, Joyce and I visited, John Coleman, and his family. He had an old double sided partner desk he was not using and he offered to let us take it back to Indianapolis.

With true pioneer spirit, we loaded it on top of my company car, tied it down and headed back to Indianapolis.

The desk was not big but solid oak and heavy.  Getting it off the top of the car wasn’t easy but we managed. Then, as we muscled it up the stairs to my second floor apartment, we paused to catch our breath. My mind was racing – in our months of dating, we had talked about many things: religion, politics, careers, job transfers, children, pets, and all the stuff that matters.I thought I knew how she felt and I had wanted to find the right moment – across an oak partner desk – this was it.

Will You Marry Me
Of course we didn’t take a selfie at that moment on the stairs when she said yes, but this picture best captures the look in Joyce’s eyes that day. This picture was taken on a cold and rainy Thanksgiving at the Outer Banks after our son had been rather pesky – you can see the love as well as the total focus. I love the look in both faces.

I looked at her.  She was sweaty, straining to help with the desk, and getting the job done. Friends, the universe was at full force that moment. She was giving the task her total focus. She was committed.

“Will you marry me?”  Came the question – and from the other end of the disk, braced awkwardly on the landing, came the reply. “Yes, but first let’s get this desk inside!” What a classic scene of total focus on the job at hand – I love that image still.

Choices Do Matter and I thank her to this day for making that choice…

That’s our story, how did you propose to your spouse?

As always, the conversation starts here.