For the many places I have been to in my life, I somehow managed to keep vivid memories of people and conversation related to the place, as though I could rewind the video capture of the live event over and over again. Every time I reminisced all the good memories, they made me smile.
It was early July when we had a last-minute road trip to Lake Tahoe, intentionally for his parents. I still remember how beautiful the Emerald Bay was in the summer time as I visited a couple of years back. This time around, the beauty of the lake was even more breathtaking.
All by ourselves in the little gondola ride, next thing we knew we were almost 10,000 ft above the ground at the Heavenly resort. I must admit I was a bit acrophobic as the gondola brought us up to the steepest part of the mountain.
We hiked up a few trails with our sandals, obviously unprepared, yet it was somehow enjoyable. Feeling a bit too dry and hot, I asked him if we should make our way back down, as the resort closing hour was approaching. He suggested that we take a short hike to another lake view, and took a rest on a random bench overlooking the lake. It was relaxing.
As I looked out at the lake from atop, my mind wandered around the simplicity in life and how each year has gone by. At that moment I felt that with him beside me, there was no other happiness I could have asked for. He started playing my favorite song, which has now become ours, the Carpenters’ Top of the World, on his Samsung Galaxy Note II, as he always did. The lyric just melted in with that moment as we appreciated the beauty of the nature. He kissed me and told me he loved me. I smiled, with my eyes still looking at the lake.
He asked…
‘Do you know what you wish for in life?’
‘World peace’, I said, jokingly as I contemplated the Miss America Pageant.
‘Hmmm…what about something a little bit more selfish?’
‘I guess…I hope that when I’m getting older I will have a family to turn to, to support me…’
‘Me too.’
‘Uh huh…’ I smiled.
‘Let’s start a family…’
‘Uh huh…’ still looking at the lake. Our conversation was so relaxing that I was so oblivious of what he was getting into. Next thing I knew I turned around he was down on his knee and asked ‘will you marry me?’
It was the sweetest surprise, so much so that I could not believe the moment was real. As he reached for the ring in his pocket, I thought he would bring out the Clinique sunblock, which he kept in that pocket, or a flower braided ring…(I thought I was funny). He actually brought out a ring, and with tears in his eyes under his sunglasses. I was so touched. I knew I’ve loved him from the very beginning. Of course I said, I will.
The rest of the story went on as we were on a ride downhill, we reminisced how we met, how we fell in love and how we looked at the future. He told me he had the ring for several months, but specifically these past 2 weeks he was looking for the right moment. Being on Heavenly was unplanned, and that was the perfect moment for him. It could not have been more perfect. I am blessed to have him in my life.
“I’m on the top of the world looking
down on creation and the only explanation I can find
is the love that I’ve found, ever since you’ve been around
your love’s put me at the top of the world…”
At the beginning as we started dating, I sang this song for him in a recorded voice message in one evening as he was sick and wanted to hear my voice. He replayed the recorded voice over 50 times, and said it was then that he fell in love. This is the song I pretty much grew up with as my dad was teaching me the English song when I was young, and always reminded me of my childhood. Little did I know this song will remain meaningful to me as long as my memories last.
7/7 at the Heavenly
As time goes by... 