Five years ago, I met my husband. Our first date was total hilarity, and worth a short re-telling. Bear with me-- I'm getting to a gem of a point. We met for our first date at a restaurant. We lived in Washington, DC at the time, and he had requested to meet on the National Mall one evening and go for a walk, where we could look at all of the monuments. I thought that sounded perfect, until my protective male coworkers informed me of the alleged dangers of this plan. Taking their well-meaning advice, we instead agreed to meet at a bar & grill. We hit it off immediately, first bonding over a shared love of Disney. I tried to impress him with my (then-limited) sports knowledge, only to accidentally flub and refer to a baseball home run as a 'point.' |
At this point, I was convinced the guy was a sham, trying too hard to impress. He asked if I wanted to go for a walk, and I was ready to find out if this guy was for real. So, we set off for the National Mall. As we headed toward his car, he pointed into a closed restaurant, table set, and said "Hey, look! A dinglehopper!" As any lifelong Little Mermaid fan will know, he was referring to the fork. My heart smiled.
I had worn my cutest ankle boots… perfect for meeting in a restaurant-- not so perfect for a long, leisurely stroll through the city. As I winced through each step for the next couple of hours, we later laughed about the blisters that remained for the next 3 weeks, reminding us (well, mainly me) of our first date.
As we returned to his car that evening, he walked with me to the passenger side, which alerted me that something was amiss. "What are you doing?" I asked. Caught off guard, he replied, "Opening your door…" I was floored. "Why?" I inquired, wondering why he be performing such a foreign gesture. "Because it's a nice thing to do," he replied with a good-natured smile. I was quiet. And, ever the cynic.
"So are you telling me that if we've been together for five years, and we are going to the grocery store, you are going to open the door for me?" I asked. (Charming, I know.) "Well… yes."
So there you have it-- a one-in-a-million Prince Charming… and me. Why he called me the next day is still beyond me!
When I am a cynic, he shows me faith. When I am hard-shelled, he shows me tender-heartedness. He makes me a better me each day by doing nothing other than just loving me for everything I am."
Sometimes, when I reflect on the early days of our relationship, I remember how much I tried to impress him. From the styling of my clothes to the conversation, I spent so much time trying to make myself my best for him. Somewhere along the way, that effort diminished. Now, a big date night will lead me to pop in a piece of gum so my breath smells nice, while me with my messy hair and old t-shirt make no other grand gesture.
But at least once a day, I recall the lesson I learned on our first date and in the many, many dates following: a life partner is a special find. He changed the formula of how I live my life.
Now, instead of making myself my best for him, he brings out the best in me. When I am a cynic, he shows me faith. When I am hard-shelled, he shows me tender-heartedness. He makes me a better me each day by doing nothing other than just loving me for everything I am.
And that deserves a little Ode, don't you think? :)