Romance Is In The Air--Michelle Monkou

Fairy tales with their happy endings did a number on me. I believed in the prince coming to claim his fair one to live happily ever after. Several decades later, I've matured and added a few cynical perspectives about life in general. But I am still a romantic at heart feeling that there is always someone for everyone out there.

Over the Easter break, The Sound of Music was on. When I saw this movie, I was attending Stella Maris, a Catholic school run by Austrian nuns, in Guyana. After the movie, my first career choice, was to be a nun. I spent many hours with a towel draped over my head where I would run into the living room and then spin around and sing -- The hills are alive.... My devotion to the role of Maria was enhanced by my entire family's love of this movie. Even now, my brother (in his late 40s) will call me when the movie is on. Yes, I have the movie, but still can't miss the annual showing on TV.

After my stint of becoming a nun, my next wish was to have a wedding dress with a long train like Maria's and a long church aisle to walk toward my handsome husband-to-be. Flash forward to April 1990, and handsome husband-to-be was in place. I then visited churches and remember shaking my head when I saw the aisle, thinking - nope, not long enough. Then I saw my dress in a magazine and knew that there was no way my mother would buy it. I went to a bridal store outlet in Delaware. The sales person started showing me various dresses. Finally, I pulled out the page with my dream dress and she said, we have that. I thought she meant that she had one like that. No. She had that dress by that designer.

Think 80's style with big poofy arms that narrowed for the lower part of the forearm. Lots and lots of pearls and beadings. Tiny waist and then a huge skirt and yes, a long train. I put on the dress and came out and stood in that mirror thinking - yes, this is it. And when I turned to survey the back, yep, there was my train.

My husband simply shakes his head at me. Yes, there is no hope. I am a romantic through and through. My kids saw the movie once and refuse to see it ever again. High School musical has now replaced Sound of Music. Oh well.

And now with my April release - No One But You - and that beautiful cover of a bride, the memories come flooding back and I sigh with contentment. Maybe for our wedding anniversary, I'll pop in the wedding tape and tie my children and husband down to review every minute of it - LOL!!