Tuesday, December 2, 2008

The itch

No, not the seven year itch, or even the chicken pox itch. This itch is hard to describe, difficult to define, and yet most women know what it is.

It is the feeling you get when you are settled in the current stage of your life and yearn for the next thing. It occurs out of nowhere when you are shopping in the mall and see a beautiful young mother with her adorably dressed and pigtailed daughter and all you want to do is scoop that little girl up and carry her home with you. For the next few hours, days, or even weeks, all you can think about is baby; wanting a baby, preparing for a baby; decorating the baby's room. You get the idea.

For me, the itch is the wedding itch, (and although I am dating someone I love dearly, we are certainly not engaged or close to being married). It ebbs and flows (probably in a cycle very similar to the one brought on by mother nature- but that is neither here nor there). Sometimes the itch overtakes my brain and I can't focus on anything else. The moment my best gal pal's wedding pictures went up online, I spent the next two hours hungrily looking through all 1,987 of them. I was unstoppable. I often get so itchy that I spend hours searching for my perfect wedding dress, the perfect location, the perfect season, and the perfect bridesmaids dresses. This isn't like a casual search online, this is an incessant desire to find the PERFECT things.

I haven't had the itch in a while. I've been making every effort to push all things wedding out of my brain for fear of seeming like a lunatic. It tends to be odd when you are looking at engagement rings on line and a coworker asks if you are getting married soon, and you have to say, "uh, no." Rumors spread about your sanity. So for the past few months, I've kept my itch contained.

So ladies, have you ever had the itch like this? Or done something slightly crazy when it struck you?

11 comments:

Whitney said...

Um, yes. That itch and I are close friends. Too close. I have always been obsessed with everything wedding and as I have watched so many of my friends walk down the aisle, it has only gotten worse!
There is always a plan, though! That's what I keep telling myself! Glad someone else besides me knows what that itch feels like, though!

Olde Town Style Guide said...

Life is funny. They say that life is what happens when you are busy making plans. "they" are so right...

One of my weaknesses is always looking ahead. For some reason, no matter how happy I am I always look to what the next step in life is. I really need to slow down..but I don't WANT to. I have no idea how to tame my itches...I feel like as I have gotten older they have only gotten worse and spread quickly!

Somehow, I need to bring myself back on to two feet and remember that it is God's plan, not mine.

Gwen said...

I never did have the baby itch or the wedding itch. Both came to me pretty easily and when expected. But I'm itching pretty bad right now. I'm not really sure what for or why but it's causing me a ton of stress and I'm having to look at my situation a little closer. Takes some deep relaxing breaths and the itch will pass soon. Don't you wish they made a cream for these types of itches. :)

starfish said...

I had the itch for a VERY long time. I was crazy. I had sunscribed to about 6 wedding magazines before we were engaged and I was at work one day and one of the attorneys asked if I was engaged and I thought he was referring to my promise ring, so I explained what it was. He looked at me real confused and then said "O I was referring to the wedding magazine". It was sticking out of my bag. Kind of embaressing.

starfish said...

p.s. When I go through my itch phases my mom always says "Don't dream your life away", but I can't help it. For years I had teh wedding itch and now that I am actually planning. I am already on to the baby itch!

Unknown said...

Absolutely! I have to constantly remind myself that I don't want to rush time. It goes by so quickly on its own! I am that way about a baby right now. We JUST got married and we aren't ready to have a baby yet, but I keep trying to plan WHEN we'll be ready...where we'll live, what we'll do, etc. I have to keep reminding myself that it will never be this way again and I want to savor every moment!

Kate said...

oh i totally had the wedding itch... ever since my best friend got married and introduced me to The Knot while she was planning, i was a knot-lurker... by the time i actually got engaged, i had a computer file folder full of pictures of flowers, dresses, cakes, etc. my college friends call me Monica Geller.

so ashamed.

Whitney said...

I tagged you on my blog! Go look!

Pink Pearls & Muddy Sneakers said...

Wow... I am so glad you found my blog! I think we're in a VERY similar situation - I have always looked forward to being married, but my current relationship - although wonderful! - is just not at that point yet. I love Mrs. Stiletto's comment about life happening while we're making plans :)

Inspired Kara said...

Oh thank God you posted this and I am not the only one. I think I'll have the whole wedding planned before I ever get the ring.

Seriously overcoming the itch takes some INDREDIBLE self control. I can do it for a few weeks, then another one of my girlfriends gets engaged. AH!

You are not alone. And, thankfully, we are not crazy :)

Lyla Lou said...

Ugh, yes the wedding itch. I know exactly what you mean. And I am no where near getting married or engaged, but I'm very happy with my guy right now. I just worry that because I want to get married so bad that I'll overlook signs that he may not be the 'one'.