After I Do

Vernal Fall is symbolic of life’s challenges. Lauren and Ryan first hike to Vernal Fall four years into their relationship. From Lauren’s perspective, it is “a hard hike but […] the view from the top [is] like nothing you [can] imagine” (6). Lauren struggles to make it to the summit but tells herself that the difficult trail will be worth the pain because she is convinced that Ryan will propose to her at the top. She therefore finds herself disappointed when Ryan doesn’t get down on one knee at the summit, and she is momentarily convinced that the challenging climb wasn’t worth the trouble because there is no apparent reward. However, partway down the mountain, Ryan does propose in front of Vernal Fall, and this event once again alters Lauren’s outlook on Vernal Fall and the hike itself. Vernal Fall thus encapsulates the idea that all of life’s challenges are paired with life’s joys, and emotional and physical strain are entangled with equivalent rewards. The hike also parallels the proverbial peaks and valleys of Lauren and Ryan’s marital life.