One

*Disclaimer* This post is heavy on Sex and the City. If you hate the show, you might want to skip this one.

If you know me, then you know that I absolutely love Sex and the City (“SATC“). I didn’t watch SATC in real time, but caught up during law school (often with my good friend Megs) and later received the entire series as a gift from an ex-boyfriend. I’ve seen every episode at least three times (most I’ve seen many, many more times) and as my friends can attest, I like to draw parallels from real life to an SATC episode. I can often be found saying, “oh this is just like when on SATC Carrie…”. I found the series to be funny, heartfelt, a bit escapist (I appreciate the fact that Carrie often acknowledged the improbability of her being able to afford her lifestyle), and most importantly, real. The show managed to show you the life you wanted to live, while at the same time making you feel like you were one of the girls. While I love the whole series, I do have a few episodes that I watch again and again and again.

In season four’s “My Motherboard, My Self”, Carrie experiences a computer failure just as Miranda’s mother unexpectedly dies. I loved this because it was so real and it made me a fan of Steve Brady for life when he showed up for Miranda’s mother’s funeral. The scene where Miranda breaks down in the dressing room and lets the motherly saleswoman comfort her brings me to tears each time. This episode also cracks me up because Carrie is so mystified by the fact that people back up their work. I don’t think I started backing up my documents until I saw this episode. Sad, but true.

I’m also a fan of season three’s “Where There’s Smoke”. This episode is so funny because Charlotte gets ridiculously drunk and goes on and on to her friends about how she’s a catch. The next morning, when she is ridiculously hungover at brunch, she shouts in exhaustion: “I’ve been dating since I was fifteen! I’m exhausted — where is he?!” Watching that episode, you can’t help but be sympathetic to Charlotte’s plight.

But the episode that resonates most with me — and what inspired this post — is season six’s “One.” In “One,” Carrie ponders in her voice over: “When will waiting for “the one”…be done?” That question really cuts to the heart of what so many of us fret about. It seems like when you are a young, ambitious professional, you are always looking for “the one.” The job. The man. The thing that gives your life meaning. And often that push is good. It keeps you focused and keeps you on your toes. The danger lies if you never feel satisfied because you are always looking for the next best thing.  Sometimes I have to remind myself that what I have right now is good and I should enjoy it. I can’t say that I’m completely done looking for “the one”, but I can say that I’m learning to take the time to treasure what I have right now.

As I approach 30 (8 months exactly till the BIG day!), it’s tempting to get caught up in finding “the one.” Turning 30 is a huge milestone and it’s hard not to get caught up in having all my ducks in a row. I’m not sure I will ever find “the one” perfect job, or “the one” perfect man, or “the one” perfect anything, really. And while that may be a bit scary, it sure is nice to know that if I don’t, I have some pretty perfect alternatives. I have a great job that keeps me fulfilled, some pretty fantastic friends (male and female), an incredible family, the cutest dog in the world and God’s grace. Seriously, what am I searching for? 🙂