My boyfriend and I were suppose to be broken up because of religious difference. He is my best friend's older cousin and I grew up admiring him in a little girl sort of way. After graduating from college, I started teaching in his home town where we would meet from time to time. When my motorcycle broke down, I asked him, as a cousin-friend to give me a lift in his pickup, and that started a long 8 month friendship that was defined by hanging out and basically denying our feelings. The church I grew up in did not allow for members to couple up with/ marry none-members, so I never thought could or would fall in love with him. When our love for each grew too strong to deny, my boyfriend had tried to fit in the church. After a year he realized that that is not the church he wants to spend his ...read morelife with and the leaders asked me to stop seeing him. Honestly I wanted to submit, but it was impossible. We began seeing each other on the sly. I knew I loved him, but I had so many connections, so many ties in my church, and I was not ready to say good-bye to it. He was very understanding and although he did not agree he respected my need. After of few months of our secret relationship, of course, we got caught. The leadership had called for a meeting. The night before the fateful meeting, my boyfriend took me on a walk. We prayed together and discussed our options. In the moonlight I cried on his shoulder because I realized that I love him and that eventually I am going to lose the people I love... it was just a matter of time. I told him that I was going to asked to be released from the church, and that it was going to be hard. I didn't want to be alone, and I will only do it if he marries me someday. Turns out he had bought a ring three months earlier, but didn't want to pressure me or make me feel even more confused about the church/love relationship. He got on his knees right there on the street in the moon light and asked me to marry him. He went into his pocket to get the ring he had been carrying around but it was not there! Just that day he put in the glove compartment of his truck but he did not say anything. I was bewildered and I thought he was joking. Slightly hurt and confused (double)I walked with him back to my house where his truck was parked. Before telling me good-night he scrounged around in his truck for a moment. Turning to me, he asked if it was too late to go on another walk. I was mad, and tired, drained from all the crying and nervous about the next day, but a little voice in my head said to go ahead. My beloved and I walked out of the neighborhood and up hill. With nothing but the stars to light our way we walked mostly in silence. When we got to the top, he put a hibiscus in my hair and said that he loves me and he needs to do this right. He got on his knees and said that he was too stubborn to let me go, and that he does know what the next few months will bring, but will I please marry him? This time he put his hand in his pocket and took out a simple but pretty diamond ring. We hugged and laughed and cried until we fell asleep in the grass on the hill. We woke up a few hours later and walked home. My mother was pacing the livingroom floor but when I showed her the ring, she hugged me with joy. Right there she gave me her blessing and I realized that is was patriarchal blessings are really about. We are getting married early next year. It has not been easy, but I know no matter who comes against, my beloved with always be there for me.