Feminist in a Wedding Gown?

I consider myself a feminist of sorts --- not the "bra-burning, 'spell women with a y', march on Washington" type. More the "women can do anything, everything, and do it just as well as men" type.

I come from a long line of strong women. My maternal great grandmother was a teacher who raised two children on her own when she was widowed at a young age. My grandmother was an attorney when many of her peers didn't graduate from high school, and my mother is a strong-minded physician. My parents spoke about 'when' and not 'if' I would go to college, go to graduate school and have my own career. My grandmother told me to get married after I'd done everything else first.

And so I forged forward into the world knowing that I could do anything I wanted to do, and would do it well. And yet, I still always pictured myself in a white gown on my wedding day, next to a great husband. Sure, I could do the whole career gig on my own, but the next 2/3 of my life would be built with my husband by my side. And while I checked 'college, graduate school, first job, second job, buying a home' neatly off my list, written there in mental red ink was still 'finding a husband'.

I've dated far and wide --- and had a close call three years ago --- but still no husband.

It was only recently when my mother was visiting and questioned a rusted muffin tin in my cupboard that the reality hit me --- I've kept my hand-me-down rusted out muffin tins because I had always planned to register for new ones when I got married. Thump. (That was Gloria Steinem hitting the floor) Can you believe it? Here I am a successful, professional woman with plenty of money who is still waiting to register for real kitchen accessories instead of making it happen right here, right now. In many ways it is a metaphor for the next part of my life --- babies, a dream home, true happiness --- all of those things have been on my mental wedding registry, stored away for the day I find Mr. Right. What a bunch of B.S. The time to realize my dreams is now. Mr. Right, if you're out there, come pick me up at the next stop, because I'm hopping on this train.