My Personal Fairy Tale
Setting the scene
This is a relationship/acquaintance that started out in around 1991. I was about 6 years old, and my second year of grade one. I had this girl in my class. She was in my class from then on through out my our school career. Around grade 7, I boldly sent my friend over to deliver a love letter to this girl, while I bravely hid around the corner. :) I must have blocked out what happened in that year, as the only memory I have is standing in the principal's office getting scolded by her mother - must have had something to do with the name calling. Cause that is what you do at that age, when you like a girl. You call them names - at least that's what I thought. Oh boy was I wrong.
Moving on to high school - low and behold here she is again. In the same school. I like to think that I was the one being followed. ;) . Grade 8 and 9 pass, and we were pretty good friends, and time to choose our school subjects for the remaining school years. We just so happen to choose the exact same subjects - coincidence - I think not. She is smart and good at all her subjects. Just the person to help me.
Grade 10 - Here is my chance. We have become good friends. She helps me with my school work and in the subjects that I am not good at - all of them. I am no longer a primary school kid, I am evolving into a young man, and brave - I will now tell her to her face I like her - a lot. I want to be more than friends. I prepare to tell her about my feeling, I plan what to say and I wait till the end of the school day and then....
I courageously send her a text message ... wow seriously. What was I thinking.
The next day back to school, and I am shaking in my boots, but anxious to know what will happen. Well very anti-climax at this point. What happened next, well nothing.
The End
So seriously though, nothing happened. Actually, it was worse. I was ignored flat. Geez, did I do that. Did I overwhelm her, excite her, or scare her off. Probably the latter. Shortly after she dated a skateboarder. Come one, really. Hey look at me, I can also push a plank around. Well I held my head up and carried on. The years went on, school career came to an end and we went our separate ways. Her to Uni, me to work. We lived our own lives for a few years. I studied computers, she worked with numbers.. a lot of numbers. Then one night - bang, out of no where a message. "Hey I need some help with tech stuff." I mean man, this only happens in the movies, here was my chance. Yes I will help you. So I did and the friendship now continued as it were from grade 9. We visited, and went on picnics and we were just really good friends again. One night I get a text at just after 22:00. It reads "Hi I need to talk to you. May I come over?"
My mind was like "Oh crap" I know what is coming. She arrives, we have coffee, and as expected, she wants to be more than friends.
Here is my chance. I respond and say "No". muhaaahaaaa (Evil laugh) Payback now I get to say no. Jokes aside. I did say no, but not as payback. It was just not a good time for me, a lot of other issues and stuff I had going on in my life. We remained friends, but went our separate ways again for a few short years.
Then what do you know, she buys a house a street behind my house. (Stalker much haha). We both resolved our issues and life was back on track for both of us, the friendship continued, and grew. Finally we mutually agreed it was time. It was official, we were now dating - in our late 20's only. Good things come to those who wait. She then sold her house, and moved in with me. We planned a nice getaway for the two of us, her first time in the Cape. We toured around, and ended up on one of the countries oldest wine farms. We walked in the vineyards and I dropped to one knee help up the ring said my say (to her face this time no text messages :) ) and she responded -
She freaked the hell out - grabbed me under my arm tried to pull me up and responded with "WHAT ARE YOU DOING!!!" Maybe I watch to many movies, but are they not suppose to cry at this point and say "Oh yes. I will".
Well after the shock of what just happened. I got my Yes!, and all the excitement that goes with it. She had no idea this was coming. Totally caught her off guard. The whole family knew what was coming as I did the honourable things and asked her parents for permission and their blessing to marry their daughter. They were all anxiously monitoring social media, to see when it happens. She did not make this easy, but the perfect opportunity was about 4 days into our trip. Never looked back since.
The Climax
One year later we married. On the 23 September 2017. The best day of my life. I mean come on you know my side of the story now. I worked damn hard for this. Over 20 years this took to finally realise. So on this day, I married my long lost and found lost and found true best friend. Our paths crossed ever so often but I do not believe they separated, but rather just ran parallel at some stages. Now we walk the same path and they have aligned. I married the best woman a man could ask for. Honeymoon stage is over, and yet, she takes such good care of me, I am so well looked after. There is nothing I could ever need that I do not have already. She has a personality that lights up a room when she walks in. She brings joy to my life. Now life has truly been a journey. Walking it with a best friend, is what makes this journey so worth while. Thank you Cheryl Lee. You are my moon and stars.
1-Corinthians Chapter 13 : Verse 7
"Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful and endures through every circumstance."
THE END