Getting ready to get married

I've finally decided that she's the girl I hope to spend the rest of my life with, how do I tell her?

I've been asked this question a few times already, that's just in a span of two months. My college buddies treat me as one of the boys and I get along well with male coworkers and churchmates too. Now they need my suggestions on how to make their proposals memorable, meaningful and special. "How did your boyfriend ask you?," caught me pointblank after the initial question.

Some years ago, on our second monthsary (if such a term exists) and having known each other for a decade, my boyfriend asked me to marry him. There were no grand gestures, no ring but not without surprises. He just stated it plainly, "WILL YOU MARRY ME?." It was written on a piece of paper (already disposed) using a black pen. We were brainstorming for my career plans that time. I was graduating from university.

Dumbfounded, I neither said yes nor no. I thought I was too young at that time to be contemplating on marriage, which all I knew was a complicated, till-death-do-us-part journey that many cynics have despised. Some believers however, share that it is also the best form of relationship ordained by God to man. I guess he assumed silence meant 'yes'. Quietly indeed, I was preparing myself for that dreaded path.

What does being engaged means? It means you have decided to go to the next level of your relationship; that you are going to pursue no other relationships with the opposite sex except the one you have highly favored; that you prepare yourself (in all aspects: emotional, social, intellectually, physically, financially and spiritually) for that day when you and that person with whom you've given your heart with will become one flesh in God's sight.

As for proposal ideas, a man is limited only by his creativity. Every person has a unique personality and different way of expressing his love. In my opinion, it does not matter how a man pops out the question but the sincerity of his promise. I didn't mind at all that he didn't do anything crazy for the proposal to be beautiful. I know he's pondered about it for a long time, prayed to God for guidance and asked his parents for their blessings. He asked me to give my heart to him and I did with little hesitation. Now I hope he takes good care of that fragile part of me that's already his'.

P.S. No violent reactions please. It's not going to be so soon... maybe a year or two from now.

Photo credit: here and here