Choosing a life of commitment

Since the IMAX 3D Avatar was sold out we saw Up in the Air with George Clooney. It was poignant and meaningful since it dealt with the hassle of relationships and the difficulty of losing your job in this society.

Part of me always had a false fantasy about how much fun the traveling life would be. Clooney’s character was a good as it could get and yet we discover that life without relationships is the most costly.

Hence my weekend subject. Our 35th anniversary, and the incredible blessing having a friend and partner for life has been. I believed in dating to find the one, and had several long relationships in high school and college, but when I graduated still single I began to panic, as I was out of the milieu of seeing single women at our mostly male campus.

The summer after my first year I lived in South Florida and worked as a youth pastor. The family who took me in was wonderful, and when their youngest daughter came for a visit we began a long distance relationship that lasted 8 months, and ended when she told me that she had no interest in being the wife of a pastor. Since this happened in South Florida on Easter break, I drove over 1000 miles alone in prayerful communion about my hopes and dreams about marriage. I relaxed and decided to visit my alma mater the next weekend and talk to some friends, hoping maybe to meet someone.

I saw Laura leaving the women’s dorm, and was struck by her dark hair, petite figure, and lovely olive complexion. The exact details escape me, but the dorm mom, Mrs. Dennis, arranged for us to meet. Do not ask me if I believe in love at first sight, it happened to me that night. She took my breath away. Happy 35th Laura.