How our Love Story Began
When people ask me how Dave and I met and fell in love, I always have to chuckle a little. Our love story is not some romantic comedy cliché or fairytale romance from a novel. It was far more ordinary and mundane in its beginnings. But sometimes, the most extraordinary things can blossom from the most unremarkable of circumstances.
It started in a way that so many modern relationships do - with the swipe of a finger across a dating app. I had been on quite a few disappointing first dates that never seemed to lead anywhere beyond some awkward conversation over coffee or a shared appetizer. Just when I was getting frustrated with the whole online dating scene, I came across Dave's profile.
His pictures showed a warm, friendly smile and kind eyes that instantly grabbed my attention. But it was his profile bio that really piqued my interest. In just a few sentences, he managed to convey a sharp wit, a love of books and music, and an endearing sense of humility. I couldn't resist swiping right and sending him a message.
To my delight, Dave replied almost immediately, and we struck up an engaging conversation that lasted well into the night. There were no cheesy pick-up lines or attempts to impress, just two people discovering their shared interests and views on life through the back-and-forth of messages. We realized we had a mutual adoration for the novels of John Steinbeck, a passion for classic rock from the 70s, and an off-beat sense of humor.
After several days of non-stop chatting, Dave finally worked up the courage to ask me out for a proper first date at a quiet little bookstore café downtown. I had been on so many disappointing first dates by that point that I tried not to get my hopes up too much, but I had to admit, there was something different about Dave already.
When we met in person for the first time, all of the nerves and anticipation instantly melted away into an easy, natural rapport. Dave looked even better than his pictures, and I couldn't help but feel drawn to his warm, calming presence. We ended up spending hours at that café, talking, laughing, and discovering more and more similarities until they had to politely kick us out at closing time.
Over the next few weeks, our feelings for each other blossomed in the most organic, unhurried way. We went on proper dates getting to know one another over dinners, long walks through the city parks, and movie nights. But we also did things that established a strong foundation of intimacy from the start – making meals together, binging TV shows under a shared blanket, and introducing one another to our favorite songs and bands.
Small gestures and inside jokes began to feel more meaningful the more time we spent together. When Dave surprised me with a vintage copy of East of Eden by John Steinbeck for my birthday, I felt a profound rush of affection. When I made him a playlist of all the songs that reminded me of the stirrings of new love, he listened to it endlessly. Falling for Dave was incredibly effortless because he accepted me for who I was with endless patience and care.
Our physical relationship also progressed naturally and comfortably. We weren't two hormone-crazed twenty-somethings rushing toward the bedroom. There were tender moments gently exploring new intimacies and many nights spent tangled in one another's arms, basking in the feelings of profound comfort, safety, and trust. Making love with Dave wasn't just physically gratifying – though he certainly knew what he was doing in that department – but it was a spiritual experience, a true melding of souls.
It's hard for me to pinpoint the exact moment I realized I was deeply, irrevocably in love with
Dave because it didn't happen in one fell swoop. It crept up on me slowly, a little more with each fond smile, each new shared experience, each late night conversation that bared our souls to one another. Love wove its tendrils around my heart so steadily and yet so stealthily that one day I simply could not imagine my life without this man in it.
When Dave finally said those three little words, blurting them out with a nervous smile one random morning over breakfast, my heart knew they were the truest words I'd ever heard. I loved him with my whole being – his quirks and imperfections, his humor and intelligence, his passion for living life to the fullest.
Some people search forever for their soulmate. While no relationship is perfect, I sometimes think the stars aligned to deliver my soulmate right to my phone in the form of a dating app. Of course, our love story was just beginning at that point. We'd have our ups and downs, face obstacles and challenges that would test our bond over the years. But I never doubted for a second that the love we shared could withstand anything.
How does one quantify or put into words what Dave means to me? He is my partner, my best friend, my lover, my person. Our love story may have had humble, digital beginnings, but it bloomed into an epic romance that has been the greatest adventure of my life. Five years of courtship, three years of marriage, one baby, and one on the way, and my love only grows more every single day.
There is a well-worn quote that insists, "The greatest love stories are those that were never told." But I have to disagree with that sentiment. This is a love story that deserves to be shared, celebrated, and shouted from the rooftops. It stands as poignant proof that destiny can find you in the most unassuming of places, and that fairytale romances and soulmates aren't merely flights of fantasy, but can be relished and lived out in the real world between two people willing to cherish and nurture their unbreakable bond through all of life's trials and tribulations.
So yes, our love story began with the simple swipe of a dating app profile. But that humble beginning gave way to the extraordinary love story that has shaped and defined the course of my whole life, a romance that has brought me more joy, passion, and devotion than I ever dreamed possible. And Dave and I are living out that love story in full color, writing new chapters and verses with each passing day and year together.
It's been the grandest of adventures thus far, and I cannot wait to see where the road leads as we continually rediscover, renew, and strengthen our connection through the gift of sharing this great big life side-by-side. This is how our love story began, and it was only the opening lines of an epic romance.
