The early years: part 1

Ok, I guess if I'm really going to do this I should start at the beginning.  That means several years before I met my ex-spouse.

When I was in my late teens I met the love of my life.  I'll call that person Terri.  I was a freshman in college at the local University.  Terri was also enrolled at the University.  I remember coming out of my dorm and heading to the student union and I saw Terri walking out of the union.  I was completely dumbstruck.  Terri was so handsomely beautiful.  I was immediately overwhelmed with "love at first sight".

Fast forward a month... a friend of mine introduced me to Terri at a holiday dance.  I had gone there with several friends and, as fate would have it, so had Terri.  We danced and talked and laughed.  I can remember the feeling of electricity going through me when Terri reached out and grabbed hold of my hand as we exited the dance floor to sit down.  This was unlike anything I had ever experienced.  I was head over heels and we'd known each other for just about two hours.

Well, there's no need to go through all the details.  Suffice it to say that Terri and I launched ourselves on a journey that lasted about 1,000 days (which seemed like an awfully long time at that age).  It was incredible:  full of love, happiness, and passion - none of which we were mature enough to handle.  We loved each other deeply and that was very real.  But we were too young to understand the damage we were doing to each other.

Did I mention that our relationship was full of passion?  In every way possible it was passionate.  And this is where the first rub you and I may have comes in.  And it deals with SEX!  I didn't understand at all God's reasons to forbid sex outside the marriage relationship.  I mean, I had every intention of spending the rest of my life with Terri.  And Terri and I loved each other deeply.  And we had taken it very slow, and both of us were completely inexperienced when it came to intimacy, both physical and emotional.  So we would be growing together and maturing together. 

In retrospect, I did a great job of rationalization.  But what I didn't count on was that Terri and I would not make it past 3 years.  And that relationship, or rather the breakup of that relationship, changed me - and not for the good.  I spent the next several years trying to replicate that relationship, and to no avail.  I had many relationships,  but could never replicate the one I had with Terri. 

And so I began a journey that led to my ex-spouse.  And it's there that I'll pick things up next time.  And we'll also talk about this whole sex thing and why God forbid's it outside of the marriage relationship.

But for now, have a great day and remember that God Loves YOU!

Pat