Sias Weddings

Last week Chris and I attended my brother-in-law's wedding. I sat in a chapel pew by myself during the wedding ceremony. While most eyes were on the bride and groom, my eyes were on Chris who was standing by the groom's side as the best man. It reminded me of our wedding day and the many days that led up to it.

Our story is not one of love at first sight. In fact, I do not remember the first time I met Chris. Instead, I just remember knowing him.

For the first year that I knew Chris, we only saw each other occasionally. We would run into each other when mutual friends came together. We always ended up sitting and talking together in these settings. One time we ran into each other at UTA. To this day I can remember what he was wearing and how I was struck by his handsomeness. One spring break we both went on a beach trip with mutual friends and spent the entire car ride home talking about nothing and everything.

Then one summer Chris started talking to a girl. I was surprised to find myself jealous that someone else was getting his full attention. I realized that I wanted to be closer to Chris and I told myself that I would no longer sit idly by. The following school year I began inviting Chris to have lunch with me. We met for lunch almost every Tuesday that semester.

The truth is out now: In the beginning, I pursued Chris.

Over lunch that semester, we slowly built up a friendship; a foundation. At that time I only knew that I wanted to know Chris more. I liked being around him because he always had something interesting to say while I usually felt like I had nothing interesting to say. Later Chris told me that he liked being around me because I always had something interesting to say while he usually felt like he had nothing interesting to say. In hindsight, we can see that we had instant chemistry.

By Christmas we were dating. I had no particular expectations for our relationship. I was having fun and never thought about being in a serious relationship. I only knew that I enjoyed being around Chris like no other person I knew or had ever known.

I can distinctly remember, however, the moment when I realized that I was in love and wanted no other man in my life. I was driving and can remember the exact place on the road where I made this exciting discovery. And then one day, there we were, in the same position as Jesse and Vanessa were in this past weekend:

Last week Chris and I attended my brother-in-law's wedding. I sat in a chapel pew by myself during the wedding ceremony. While most eyes were on the bride and groom, my eyes were on Chris who was standing by the groom's side as the best man. And that's when our story rushed through my mind. As I watched Jesse and Vanessa make the same commitment Chris and I made two years ago, I found myself wishing for them the same happiness in that Chris and I have found in marriage.