Yesterday, I did some browsing and stumbled upon a post in which the writer wrote that she's happily married, no apology. I liked that article very much, but unfortunately I can't find it again so regretfully I cannot share it here with you, Friends. :(
I googled "happily single" and came up with 105,000,000 results.
I googled "happily married" and came up with 43,500,000 results.
And most of them are "how to" articles. Hmmmm... it seems in Google world there are more advise readily available on how to be happily single compared to how to be happily married. Still, I agree with the aforementioned writer. We don't need to apologize for being happy. In any state of life.
Several years ago, I could honestly and proudly announce that I was happily single, with no apology. Now, I can honestly and proudly announce that I am happily married, with no apology.
I am so thankful that God has been so kind and has been sending me gifts, one by one, everyday, sent in pretty package of love, happiness and faith, wrapped with ray of sunshine (or rain) every morning when I wake up. He has been granting me with all those, in every state He happened to place me in this life. As a child. As a daughter and as a sister. As a teenager. As a college student living alone in a foreign country. As a single woman. As a wife. As a mother.
As a single woman, I didn't need to apologize that:
- I could spend the weekend partying then crawl under the blanket and read novels and order pizza for breakfast, lunch and dinner if I want to.
- I was free to travel and not worrying about having someone to take care of my children.
- I didn't have to fight with my husband and how he always leave the toilet seat opened, since I had no husband.
- I could live a life very much customized just for me because I don't need to compromise with anyone. Hey, I lived alone, so I can garnish all my apartment in pinks and ruffles if I wanted to!
- I often skip weddings and family gatherings because I always got asked "When will be your turn?"
With all the ups and downs, all the loneliness and fending for yourself, all the worries and fears about the future, I was happy being single.
Yes, there is such thing as being happily single. So, if you're single, enjoy, be happy. Because it is a happy stage of life. No apology.
Now, I also don't need to apologize that I am married, and I am happy. I don't need to apologize that:
- I have someone to hold me every night and tell me I'm beautiful even when my hair is toussled and my face is greasy.
- I have someone who says to me over and over when I've had a hard day at work: "Don't worry, Honey. You can stop working anytime you want to. I will take care of us."
- I have less time to hang out because my priority has shifted and I have a baby and a grown up man who demand a lot of my time and attention.
- I'm less fun and wild and free and more boring because, well, somehow playing hide-and-seek with a toddler has become more appealing to me than hanging out at the hippest trendy bar in town.
- Sometimes my Mom said I'm moodier now compared to my single years, because now my mood also got influenced by another person: my husband, and he doesn't have naturally sunny disposition like me!
With all the ups and downs, all the fights and compromises, all the heartaches and complexities, I am happy being married.
Yes, there is such thing as being happily married, no matter what the pop culture dictates. So, if you're married, enjoy, be happy. Because it is a happy stage of life. And if you think I'm not qualified enough to say that, because I've only been married for two years, well, my parents have been married for forty seven years, and they are still happily married. No apology.
Don't succumb into what the pop culture told you. There are different stages of life and each of them has their own beauty and joy. Even in the dark stage called a divorce. Of course we should not aim for a divorce, but even a friend of mine who got divorced is much more happier now than when she was married. Another friend who got divorced several years ago is now happily married again and moved to another country to be with her new husband.
Everyone has their burdens and joy. Let us write our life story in neat pencil, and let God edit it with an eraser and a pen, colors, stickers, and pictures, to make it even more beautiful. Be happy with no apology.
So this my life in the office, which doesn't look much different than my single years...
And this is my life now as a happily married wife and mother of a toddler. These pictures were taken on a lazy Sunday some time ago.
My little token of love and wifey duty: stocked up Hubby's personal care supplies.
Well, these men's toiletries and bath products would have never made it into my grocery list in the past, but now they do! Hubby admitted that he has become so spoiled now, he never has to think about what to eat for dinner or run out of soap, because I take care of all those! It's quite odd how doing little things like these can make a woman feels so wifey-ish. ^__^
We spent the day playing with our little son and had a lot of laughs.
There is a toddler in the house now. My social medias are full with picture of my boy, and just like every proud Moms in the world, I just think he's super adorable. And I was not the type who were naturally love children! When it comes to one's own children, who can be objective? Haha!
It was a good, lazy, sunny day in the neighborhood.
Now a good Sunday for me is hanging out in my night gown all day, enjoying a nice sunny day in the neighborhood from the balcony. Sometimes taking a stroll around the neighborhood with my husband and my son. So simple. So serene.
Going to Sunday mass with Hubby.
Thanks to Hubby, I go to Mass much more regularly now! It feels good to worship together with family.
How your life have changed after getting married?
