Happy Endings

Oh to be Meg Ryan. She gets to overcome sleeplessness, verse volcanoes and somehow avoid email viruses and internet stalkers, and, in the end, she always gets her Tom Hanks. Inevitably, she finds herself wrapped in his arms and through the magic of cinema, forever they live in that happy ending - eternally locked in that embrace - frozen in the image of that kiss. The rest of us get to forge ahead settling for kisses that are less eternal, usually interrupted by something that feels more like a scene from Planes Trains and Automobiles. If only rewind and pause buttons were real world options.

Alas, fast forward is the only one that comes close. Ever rushing forward, hoping for happy endings and rather feeling as if someone pushed an eject button mid embrace, mid kiss, mid moment of content.

We grew weary of living and loving in this manner. And so we decided to reach for that blissful ending and give permanent togetherness a whirl. So here we are, finally living in the same space, just like we always dreamed of. Well, sort of. I guess our dreams didn't exactly include the adaptation process -ever adjusting the tracking when static interferes.

I wonder how Meg and Tom would react. Would he remain sleepless because she snores? Would she grow tired of battling the little volcanoes - the unscripted disturbances - arguments, tensions, everyday ups and downs - that tend to erupt regularly and rather unexpectedly. Let's face it, life is only predictable in the movies.

Overall, we're faring pretty well. Who cares if his musical taste doesn't quite fit into the soundtrack of my life or if the scenery I choose for our home doesn't mirror his vision. We compromise and cooperate. And when the differences are less simple ones to adjust to, we simply work harder. Yes, at times that means fighting, and sometimes tears and hurt feelings are involved, but in the end (once we've edited out the swear words), we always seem to manage a resolution. I guess even normal folks have happy endings after all.

Okay, maybe they aren't as glamorous or eternal as good old Tom and Meg. We never expected it to be. We certainly didn't anticipate nonstop bliss. But sometimes late at night when sleeplessness of any sort settles in, it's hard to resist those two faces on the movie channel. And every once in awhile, it's harmless to induldge in the fantasy (especially the part where I get to look like Meg).

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