"I'm just sick of thinking about it all the time.

Love and marriage.

I want to think about something else.

See, I've always been afraid of marriage

because of, you know, ball and chain,

I want my freedom, all that.

But I suddenly saw it the opposite:

that if you got married to someone you know you love,

you'll sort yourself out,

it frees you up for other things.

Just because it's a relationship,

and it's based on soppy stuff, it doesn't mean

you can't make intellectual decisions about it.

Sometimes you just have to,

otherwise you'll never get anywhere.

That's where I've been going wrong.

I've been letting the weather

and my stomach muscles

and a great chord change in the Pretenders Single

make up my mind for me,

and I want to do it for myself now."

- Rob's proposal to Laura-

---------------------------------

미국으로 향하는 비행기 안에서 단숨에 읽어버린 책.

"About a Boy"의 휴 그랜트가 연상되는,

피터팬증후군에 빠진 서른 다섯 살의 "남자"에 관한 책이었지만,

스물여섯살(만으로)의 "여자"인 나도 공감이 가는 대목이 많았다.

- 내가 "여전히" 결혼과 확정적인 관계를

매우 두려워하고 있다는 사실 재확인. 

나이와 성별과는 상관 없이,

많은 이들이 동경하며 동시에 두려워하는 "안정과 안착."

- in other words, "tying the knot."

진정한 안정을 찾고,

그 안정을 통해 성숙하길 간절히 바라면서도,

"배 근육이 찌릿하게 당기는" 로맨스와,

"내 멋대로 살 수 있는 공간"을 포기하지 못하는 아이러니.

이 아이러니에 종지부를 찍고자하는

Rob의 프로포즈는 코믹하면서도,

너무나 현실적이라 감탄을 금치 못했다는.

"Just because it's a relationship,

and it's based on soppy stuff, it doesn't mean

you can't make intellectual decisions about it."

분명한건,

"If you got married to someone you know you love,

you'll sort yourself out,

it frees you up for other things."

그러니,

이제 그만 두려움을 떨치고,

'intellectual'한 결정을 내려야 할 때.