Sign Language

As we begin to reach that inevitable phase in our lives – the holy phase of matrimony – we scrutinize our decisions and question our hearts evermore intensely. Could he be the one? Do I really want to spend the rest of my life with him? What if I change my mind? Is there someone else better out there for me? We ask these questions, as if God himself will appear holding a sign with the answers.

The answer that we’re ultimately all trying to figure out is, how do we know for sure? More so than being afraid of settling down, we’re afraid of settling. We wait for signs to comfort and convince us that we’re treading down the right path – and down the right aisle. Sure, it would be nice if we saw the red octagon sign right before agreeing to a blind date, or a “dead end” sign during a two year courtship, or a flashing green light when your boyfriend proposes. What we don’t realize is that these signs don’t always appear in their traditional forms.

When you’re contemplating engagement with your girlfriend of 4 years, yet you have an uncontrollable tick that forcibly redials your ex’s number at odd hours of the night, that is a sign. When you feel obliged to spend time with a significant other, that is a sign. When the week couldn’t pass by any more slowly because of sheer anticipation of that Friday night date, that is a sign.

These signs have a language of their own, which we slowly learn to decipher as the intensity of these questions grows with each passing day – each passing date – and each passing experience.