We ladies were taking a historic tour of downtown Charleston, where the guide did an awesome job describing not only architecture and history, but also the longtime local customs of the area that was once dominated by rice plantations.
“A lady was not considered a proper Southern Bride,” Wonderful Guide Lady explained, “until she’d been gifted with a Charleston Rice Spoon.”
She happened to have one handy as she explained it might look like a regular silver serving spoon with a long handle, but “Look at the other end. The bowl is bigger. It’s the size of a human hand and it always scoops up a perfect serving of rice.”
I was fascinated with the idea of this spoon, as I have been most things connected to marriage and weddings. See, I’ve done some really big things in my life: been a network news anchor, traveled the world, loved, been loved.
But the idea that a man I loved would want to marry me and make a life together — that seemed as far away and out of reach as some of my adventures might seem to you.
Just as I had pretty much given up on that dream about two years ago, along comes the man I’ll refer to in this column as “Mr. SummerFest.”
We were introduced by mutual friends a summer festival weeks before he happened to be moving a couple blocks down from me in my same neighborhood.
Not quite the boy-next-door, but boy-next-block sure was nice after too many long-distance relationships.
We’ve had a wonderful two years of love, friendship and a lot of fun.
Two weeks ago, Mr. SummerFest lured my dog, my 3-legged cat and then me into my backyard in front of my 3 chickens. It was there he got down on one knee and asked me to be his wife.
There was no flash mob, nothing you will see with 1,000,000 hits on YouTube. “There was no place on Earth I could think of,” he explained, “that would mean more to you than in front of all your animals.”
He was right. It was perfect. Oh, to be known and loved.
And so that brings me to last Saturday. My friend, Tricia, and I wrapped up our weekly ladies run. “I have something for you,” she said.
There, sitting amid a bridey gift bag and lots of tissue paper was, you guessed it, my very own Charleston Rice Spoon. Turns out she’s had it for me since that trip four years ago.
I can’t stop looking at that spoon and smiling.
Smiling for seemingly impossible dreams that do come true.
Smiling for friends that hold space and believe in your wishes long before you dare to.
And of course, smiling for the always perfect servings of rice I will dish up in the home I will soon share with my Mr. SummerFest.
Daryn Kagan is the creator of DarynKagan.com. She is the author of “What’s Possible! 50 True Stories of People Who Dared To Dream They Could Make a Difference.”
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