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Friday, March 21, 2014

"It felt easy": What it's like when you meet "The One"


I'm a huge sucker for love stories, and lately I've been thinking about a common trend I've noticed when hearing the love stories of different married couples I know.

I first noticed it when I was reading Drea's love story and she said, "I felt comfortable with Alex the moment I met him." I thought, Funny, I felt the same way about Frank. Typically shy and awkward with cute guys, I somehow felt instantly confident and at ease with this tall, dark-haired stranger. That never happened.

Then I was excited to see that lovely Nicole was writing her romance with Tom. Sure enough, in the first installment, she described their first meeting: "[It was] so unlike me to share something that personal with someone of two hours’ acquaintance. But he was incredibly comfortable to talk with, and I didn’t think twice." Again I thought, Yes—comfortable. That's just how it was.

Three love stories (mine and those two) might not be a very large sample size, but I'm wondering if anyone else has had a similar experience. What was it like the first time you met your husband (or wife)? Did you immediately have that sense of comfort and ease in their presence, like this person was always meant to be your good friend—even if "friend" was all you had in mind at the time? Tell me I'm not the only one. :)

19 comments:

  1. (Prologue: oh my! Your dress! Every time I see it I just gape at how beautiful it is. ♥)

    Now...
    Yes, absolutely! I was a bit of a drifter for my first couple months of college... I met lots of nice people, but I had the introvertive tendency of wanting to find a few people I felt completely and utterly myself with. I found several, but Peter was kind of the break-though. After the fall concert on campus he started up a conversation with me because he thought I looked lonely, and it was amazing how natural it felt. He was goofy, teasing, intelligent, full of humor and wit, kind of nerdy... he was such a pleasing combination of my immediately older and immediately younger brother. I definitely thought that he was going to make a perfect adopted brother.

    That impression lasted a few weeks... then things just started rolling, and I left the brother idea behind. He was always soooo easy to be around, though. The exciting thing was that I wasn't the only girl who thought so. lol.

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  2. We were awkward 18 year olds when we met. But, when we first started to open up with each other, I found myself sharing things I had never shared with anyone before. And the rest is history :)

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    1. Oh, that's so sweet! I love it! How romantic that you met so young—my parents were teenagers when they met too, and they are still going strong after 27 years of marriage. :)

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  3. Same here! I think I said this about Michael in part 2 of the love story I wrote for my blog! :)

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  4. I am such a sucker for love stories too! I'm just always fascinated to hear how couples I know first met and fell in love. I think that's why I love your blog. I found it just before you started your love story series....

    Anyway...It's been nearly 20 years since my husband and I first met but I definitely felt more comfortable with him than any other guy before him. I wrote about the beginning of our relationship a few years ago (the link is here: http://karilb75.blogspot.com/2009/01/true-lovea-gift-from-god.html) because it was such a story of God at work and...well, it's almost as fun to share my love story as to hear others'.....

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    1. Kari, what a beautiful story! Thanks for sharing the link. :) It's wonderful to see how God worked in your life at the time, and continues to work in you both now!

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  5. Yes! That is how it was for me as well. Given my background and kind of being sheltered from the whole boy/dating scene, going to college and meeting so many people at once when I'm rather introverted to begin with was hard, but I met Deon on the very first day and we fell so easily into conversation and could talk for hours about anything and everything. We became best friends right off the bat. He still is the person to make me feel the most at ease, comfortable, and the most myself. :)

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  6. Yes! We felt the same. It is so nice to read positive things about marriage so thank you! God bless, Cindy

    Our love story is here:
    http://theveilofchastity.com/2012/11/08/our-catholic-love-story-part-2/

    p.s. gorgeous wedding gown!!

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    1. Thanks Cindy! What a beautiful love story you and Gregg have. I love how you said you could tell it was different right from the start. Thanks for sharing!

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    2. Thank you, Tess! Glory to God! :)

      p.s. I would love for you to do a guest post for my blog. It could be interview style where I send you questions about courtship, dating and 'knowing'. If you are open to it, my email is theveilofchastity@gmail.com

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  7. My courtship with my hubby was the most relaxed and stress free of any relationship I had ever been in :) It never felt like work. He seems to know me better than I know myself :)

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  8. I actually had some interesting feelings about Paul when I was reintroduced to him at Notre Dame (remember, we first met when we were eight and then had not seen each other for seven years before college). At first, I thought he was rude, a bit arrogant, and kind of a jerk because he sort of blew me off. However, that being said, I was oddly intrigued by him and found my eyes wandering to his whenever he was around. We ended up sitting together at one of the home football games and then took a walk shortly afterwards - and we both claim that we instantly felt drawn to one another at that time because it we felt familiar, comfortable, and unafraid to be ourselves with each other. I just think that's what happens when you meet your soul mate. Your soul knows before your brain catches on!

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    1. Ha! That's so great. I always enjoy stories where the couple starts off with a negative impression of each other—it just seems so "Elizabeth and Darcy." And then it's even more exciting when that feeling of comfort and familiarity comes along, as it always eventually does! I love how you describe it as your soul "knowing" before you do. I used to say I didn't believe in soulmates, but I have to admit I've changed my tune these past few years, since meeting Frank.

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  9. Just need to say: love, love, love, LOVE your dress. I am SO GLAD these dresses have come back into style. Just gorgeous. And you look radiantly happy!!

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    1. Thank you so much Nicole! I absolutely LOVED your dress too!

      I really need to do a post (or 10) about our wedding—it's been nearly 10 months and somehow I still haven't put together a good summary of it on the blog. Shame on me!

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  10. Oh you're not the only one! We were in overlapping circles and he'd noticed me but although I was aware of who he was, I hadn't actually come face to face with him. Then one evening at the pub, he ensured that we did - we pretty much literally bumped into each other - and that was it. I just knew, that he was the one - the one for me!

    We talked all night and it was like coming home. We now have 7 children together and are celebrating our fifteenth wedding anniversary this summer!

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    1. What a beautiful story! Thank you so much for sharing it. And wow, 7 kids and 15 years! So much to celebrate for you guys!

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  11. Just found your blog tonight but I've seen you over at Auntie Seraphic's before. Really enjoyed the story of how you and Frank met and married!

    Your wedding dress is truly excellent. I love the style and it suits you so well!

    Good luck to you Frank and Baby!

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    1. Hi Julia! So glad you found me and enjoyed the love story! I love Auntie's blog—great way to find someone. :)

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