With a date like 11/11/11, there is no way that I will let it pass without blogging about it. In fact, there is no way that I will let it pass without making it an event worthy of my long term memory.
There must be a lot of people with the same intentions as mine, because today was PERFECT! The temperature, the sun, the trees, the lake, the soft breeze...all were, for a lack of a better word, PERFECT. And we all know that weather is an emotional reflection of the collective psyche. A smart woman I know said, "The fact that many people believe 11/11/11 is a special/lucky day will make it so...Why can't we all believe that everyday is a good day!"
While I was still kneeling with the ring in my hand, a man standing across the lake from us took our picture. The picture captured the moment perfectly...as if he has waiting all morning for me to make my move. He was of the same mind as mine. He just knew what I was about to do and thought it would be nice to help me out by photographing us because there was only 2 of us and a tripod.
Ever since 2 weeks ago when Samantha challenged me to surprise her, I thought about how to propose to her whenever I had a chance to daydream. I knew she does not care for "things", so going out to "buy something nice" would not work. The other dilemma is that she didn't care much for tradition...including the tradition of an engagement ring. And if she were to want one, she would not be able to show off her engagement ring like other brides because this marriage has to be hush-hushed until at least after her graduation.
Slowly the idea of the mandala began to form. A mandala would remind us of our spiritual root. A mandala using the chakra symbols would also accentuate our eastern philosophy about health and medicine. It would be a labor of love instead of a swipe of a credit card. And it would be an ideal way to display the ring in her room.
The 7 symbols of the 7 chakras were ideal elements to use in the repetitive patterns of the mandala. The basic geometric shapes that make up the symbols also has their individual philosophical meaning. The 7 colors of the chakras are also the same ones from the diffracted light spectrum normally seen in rainbows, which would make this mandala very pleasing to the eye. But more than just being aesthetically pleasing, each color is emotionally charged and is associated with each specific chakra according to its type of energy. In other words, this mandala will have layers upon layers of meaning...something that Samantha loves to explore.
No matter how certain a guy is of the girl's answer, he would be lying if he tells you he is not nervous before proposing. No matter how many contingencies he prepares for, he always thinks there is something missing. No matter how much time he spends preparing, he always feels he is rushed on the morning of the day of proposal.
To carry all of my stuff this morning, I found a LARGE duffel bag, the kind that US soldiers use for their 2-year tour in Iraq. In the bag, I had my trumpet, sheet music, trumpet mouth piece and accessories, camera, tripod, picnic blanket, water, yogurt, the framed mandala, umbrella, towels, cell phone, charger, jacket, and extra clothes. I made sure I carried the ring in my pants pocket.
The plan was simple enough. Take pictures with a time-delayed camera on a tripod. And when she stands on a right spot, switch the camera to video mode, and pretend to take a picture. Then act like I just dropped something on the ground, kneel down to pick it up, and stay kneeling while showing her the ring. It was a good plan, but it could have been executed a lot "smoother" :D
November 11, 2011 will certainly be remembered for a very long time...not only for its unique numerical symmetry...but also for the day that Samantha says "yes".
There must be a lot of people with the same intentions as mine, because today was PERFECT! The temperature, the sun, the trees, the lake, the soft breeze...all were, for a lack of a better word, PERFECT. And we all know that weather is an emotional reflection of the collective psyche. A smart woman I know said, "The fact that many people believe 11/11/11 is a special/lucky day will make it so...Why can't we all believe that everyday is a good day!"
While I was still kneeling with the ring in my hand, a man standing across the lake from us took our picture. The picture captured the moment perfectly...as if he has waiting all morning for me to make my move. He was of the same mind as mine. He just knew what I was about to do and thought it would be nice to help me out by photographing us because there was only 2 of us and a tripod.
Ever since 2 weeks ago when Samantha challenged me to surprise her, I thought about how to propose to her whenever I had a chance to daydream. I knew she does not care for "things", so going out to "buy something nice" would not work. The other dilemma is that she didn't care much for tradition...including the tradition of an engagement ring. And if she were to want one, she would not be able to show off her engagement ring like other brides because this marriage has to be hush-hushed until at least after her graduation.
Slowly the idea of the mandala began to form. A mandala would remind us of our spiritual root. A mandala using the chakra symbols would also accentuate our eastern philosophy about health and medicine. It would be a labor of love instead of a swipe of a credit card. And it would be an ideal way to display the ring in her room.
The 7 symbols of the 7 chakras were ideal elements to use in the repetitive patterns of the mandala. The basic geometric shapes that make up the symbols also has their individual philosophical meaning. The 7 colors of the chakras are also the same ones from the diffracted light spectrum normally seen in rainbows, which would make this mandala very pleasing to the eye. But more than just being aesthetically pleasing, each color is emotionally charged and is associated with each specific chakra according to its type of energy. In other words, this mandala will have layers upon layers of meaning...something that Samantha loves to explore.
No matter how certain a guy is of the girl's answer, he would be lying if he tells you he is not nervous before proposing. No matter how many contingencies he prepares for, he always thinks there is something missing. No matter how much time he spends preparing, he always feels he is rushed on the morning of the day of proposal.
To carry all of my stuff this morning, I found a LARGE duffel bag, the kind that US soldiers use for their 2-year tour in Iraq. In the bag, I had my trumpet, sheet music, trumpet mouth piece and accessories, camera, tripod, picnic blanket, water, yogurt, the framed mandala, umbrella, towels, cell phone, charger, jacket, and extra clothes. I made sure I carried the ring in my pants pocket.
The plan was simple enough. Take pictures with a time-delayed camera on a tripod. And when she stands on a right spot, switch the camera to video mode, and pretend to take a picture. Then act like I just dropped something on the ground, kneel down to pick it up, and stay kneeling while showing her the ring. It was a good plan, but it could have been executed a lot "smoother" :D
November 11, 2011 will certainly be remembered for a very long time...not only for its unique numerical symmetry...but also for the day that Samantha says "yes".
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