The Journey…

Our paths crossed 31 years ago while I was visiting a friend.  He was the boy next door.  I was immediately smitten with this tall, blue-eyed boy and ignored the cute, tiny girlfriend he had with him!  Our friendship blossomed over time and eventually I moved in with my friend and became the girl next door.  Oh, the adventures we had!  We explored old bottle dumps on the back of a scary little motorcycle, played tennis, went to movies… all the while laughing and enjoying each others’ company.  The best of friends…

For ten years I was hopelessly in love with this boy; even from 2000 miles away.  The day finally came when I had to resign those feelings and move on… he was getting married.  All of the time spent naming our children, writing our names and dreaming of our life together… all moments of the past, never to have them back again.  The journals were sealed and tucked away; eventually burned!  Our lives were taking different paths.  He would forever and always be my first love… never to be forgotten.

My life changed after that.  I married four years later… finally the beginning of my forever happiness!  The blue-eyed boy and I remained friends from a distance; visiting when I was in town.  Seven more years passed and as it turned out, neither of our “forever” marriages ended up being forever.  After the finalization of my divorce  I called him just to say hi and hear the voice of an old friend.  I’d long since resigned my feelings for him and cherished those sweet memories from the days of old.  That was then… this was now… and I was 2000 miles away.

It’s funny, that thing called time.  It’s as if time stood still and we picked up where we’d left off.  Such compassion and care in his voice as he grieved for the loss of my marriage.  We shared late night phone conversations about our loves and our loses.  I could hear the smile in his voice when he talked about his three young kids. But, I was there and he was here.  It was just good to talk to an old friend.  Then one night he opened up the door of possibility and asked me to be a part of his world!  I swear to you that this was not my intent when I called him and quite frankly it never crossed my mind that he’d be interested on that level!  The past was the past and my heart had been through enough over the years.

That was late 2005.   I ended up selling my house, quitting my job and moving back to my home town; leaving behind 20 years of a wonderful life in California.  Fast forward to 2012 and here we are.  In a few weeks we will celebrate our 3rd wedding anniversary.  I still have moments of surreal disbelief!  Back in late 1981 I fell hopelessly in love with this tall, blue-eyed boy the moment I laid eyes on him.  31 years later we are sharing our lives together.  Our paths did cross again and now we walk on the same one together.  My prayers as a young woman were answered and now I’m on a journey I never thought would come to pass.  All in His time… not mine.