Once upon a time there was a girl who dreamed about math. She woke with a start, the numbers still running through her head. In that half-awake, half-asleep daze she couldn’t quite decide if it was a dream she’d woken from or a nightmare. Either way, the experience needed to be shared. After all, one doesn’t dream of math and then keep that to themselves. But who to share it with?
He came to her mind immediately. That boy who sat right behind her shoulder. That boy who had given her his number a week or so ago. That boy who would understand the math dream more than anyone else in her life.
The text was composed and sent off with little fuss: “I don’t know how your day is going, but I just took a nap and had a dream about using the shell method. I think calculus is starting to affect me.”
A short six minutes later his reply came, “Oh boy. How vivid was it?”
And just like that the ice was broken.
The conversation was a classic one. Talk of homework, complaints about homework, questions about homework. Then suddenly they veered into the rest of life.
“I can’t remember where you said you’re from?” she asked on a whim.
“Good ol Indiana. Not a true child of the corn like some of my friends, but close,” he replied.
That one earned a laugh.
From there the conversation continued steadily. Little life tidbits dropped here and there. A love of thunderstorms for him. The way she loves her home state. A shared love of reading books, which spiraled into a reading date. Then came a game night, a sunset viewing, a library date (yes, date!).
Shortly thereafter her world started to change. Boyfriend became part of her vocabulary. Days were filled with thoughts of him and texting him and seeing him. And it was wonderful.
But all wonderful things must surely be tested, and this test came in the form of two simple words: Long Distance.
Back to the land of the corn he went, leaving her behind.
Work schedules, school schedules, so many texts. Phone calls and videos and more mirror selfies than anyone would care to admit. Her first time flying, embarking all alone, knowing he would be there to pick her up on the other side. There he was, and there they spent three marvelous days. Exploring, meeting people, taking walks, eating ice cream, soaking up every moment of time they could. Three days goes by too fast.
Work schedules, school schedules, so many texts. Phone calls and videos and more mirror selfies than anyone would care to admit. Thanksgiving and his birthday, celebrated through a screen.
He’s coming back in time for Christmas!
Cuddles on the car ride home. A kiss goodnight. Seeing his face bright and early the next morning. It was a dream come true.
And then, on December 21, 2023, that dream got even better.
So there you have it, I’m engaged!
While the math dreams have subsided (for now), the math classes have not. Another semester has begun, and this time there’s wedding planning on top of the homework. I do intend to make my way back to this space at some point in the future, but when that future is, I know not.
Until that fateful day, I wish you all the best!
Love this so much. And I'm glad you've got it written down for posterity!!!
What? Wow! Congratulations!!
What a fun and beautiful to break the good news to us, Claire.
Whenever you might come back, we'll be here.