A Wondrous Journey - Falling In Love and the Lessons Learned Along the Way

"I have waited too long to tell this story." (Me, September 17, 2005)

Nine years ago those were the opening words I wrote into a new journal - a journal that for some reason I then put aside and only recently rediscovered while cleaning my office.

As I leafed back through the opening pages of that journal, I remembered what was the story that a part of me wanted to tell so eagerly.  I could even feel the tug of that desire pull on me again today - gently whispering, "Yes.  Follow your heart.  You know you want to do this.  You say you want to write.  Write about something that is a story uniquely yours and that you care about. Dare to do it."

And I knew that's what any writer ultimately must do.  Listen to that small voice from their heart and write about what moves them. And so I shall.

The story that I will begin to tell is the story of how a man who spent most of his life alone and preoccupied, chasing all the things he thought would make him happy, finally had the one thing happen that he never thought would.  He fell in love.  Or I think more accurately, love found him.

A special note Deborah left in my office one day

That man is me.  And this will be the story of how I first fell in love with my wife Deborah, and how I continue to fall in love with her again and again as the years have gone by.  It has been a wondrous journey, whose twists and turns I could've never predicted, but I am ever grateful for.

I think one reason why I feel so moved to write this story is because I know there is so much of Life in it:  joys and sorrows, adventures big and small, light moments and painful ones, quiet intimacies and new surprises shared.  Who wouldn't want to write about, or read those kinds of things?  Who wouldn't want to live those kinds of things?  We share complaints; we share gossip; we share our plans and problems.  Why not share something beautiful and inspiring, like how we fell in love?

The other reason why I feel so moved to write this story is because I know that because of this shared journey I have learned so much.  I knew it 9 years ago when I wrote:

"And throughout this journey I've grown as never before in my life. I've grown to see more clearly my true self, and have come closer to being the man I've always wanted to be."

It's even more true today.  I want to explore what the real lessons are that Love has taught me along the way.  They have been the unexpected bonuses of our love that I want to remember.

And there's one more reason I want to write this story.  I want to write it for the two of us.  We both are deeply grateful for the love we share, and know that we are blessed to experience something special.  I want to write our story for us to remember.  If anyone else ever reads it, doesn't matter so much to me.  This is a special love story: one I'm glad to be living.

So, consider these opening scribbles my prologue.  The rough draft and first shaky steps taken.  It takes a little courage to pursue a dream, and to be open so that Love finds you.  But I know that it's worth it.

Subsequent blog entries will be the "chapters" of my story.  Who knows how many there might be? The story still continues.

"Who, being loved, is poor?" (Oscar Wilde)

I am a very rich man.

I cannot wait any longer.  Let the story begin.