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{True Life} Perspective

Hi, girls.  *Awkward foot shuffle.* I have to admit, for the past couple weeks now… I’ve felt a little like Debbie Downer. I think there’s a pretty fine line between Being Honest and Being a Total Drag. I’m sorry, if I bounced back and forth across that line. I’m better now. {… I think.}

I realized something this past weekend. There are two kinds of brides out there: The kind of bride who loves her wedding, and the planning, and the details and the attention, and the kind of bride who will do the rest of it if it results in being married, period. The former is, easily, the better sort of bride to be associated with. I, sadly, still live in the latter category.

Here’s the thing—don’t misunderstand me, I loved my wedding day. Getting there, though… those last, harrowing 72 hours… I just like, descended into the dark place, and I’m still reconciling what exactly that means to me, for me, about me… whatever. I Bridezilla’d. And I’m not proud of it. And I’m still recovering from it. Getting married and crafting your way there, it pushes you so much further than most women go, pulls you out of your comfort zone and so far past your boundaries that you’re not even sure you’d recognize them if you found your way back again. (Don’t worry. You will. Eventually.)

I lost it for a couple days. But at least I can admit it.

And you know what? Then I found it again. I’m not a Wifezilla. So, there’s that. I have that going for me, even if I’m not ready to giggle about how pretty my paper flowers were. And you know what else? I have perspective.

First of all, being a wife is much better than being a fiancée. Especially if you have the supreme privilege of marrying your best friend. I recommend being married.

I have amazing girlfriends, who stood by me before I married that boy and will stand by me long after.

{Yes, that’s a bridesmaid who’s roughly a thousand months pregnant. Yes, my girls are amazing.}

{And let’s not forget the lovely and beautiful Grace Caudle of Plan with Grace, who not only kept the whole day running smoothly, but is also one of my dear friends.}

I have a mother who taught me how to be fearless, and silly, and strong. A mother who showed me what it means to be a friend, and what it looks like to let other women be a friend to you.

…I have people in my life who encourage me to explore, grow, learn… stay curious…

…I have anecdotal proof that miracles happen, that magic is as real as it felt when I was a little girl, dreaming of growing through these years (Recall that super-pregnant bridesmaid? I’d like you to meet Maggie, her super-precious daughter, newly minted on April 27^th of this year)…

… And I have a team of dudes who will have my back in the event of a zombie apocalypse. And let’s be really honest… What more could a girl ask for?

The moral, of course, is to anticipate that it might take you a little time to recover from your wedding. It’s OK, if that’s the case. You’re not broken, or crazy, or a bad person. Just commit to finding your perspective again, once you get to the other side.

-MMV.