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Kelsey:Sometimes life does not give you what you want. On the second weekend of October last year, I wanted to drive home to West Virginia for a visit with my family. I had planned on getting my Jalopy inspected the preceding week, but the muffler fell off and any road tripping plans were out of the question until I could get that situation resolved. At church that Sunday, the pastor invited everyone to stay after for a potluck, and I consoled myself with the thought of free food. I wanted to eat with the couple I had sat with during the service, but the wife had something she had to do, which left me to fend for myself. Things were not going my way.I stood alone in the line, slowly progressing towards the front and all the while taking in the people and conversation around me. Typical comments about how delicious the food looked and who made which casserole. Someone in front of me was going to break his diet, but just for today. Someone a few people behind me told his friend that he had just accepted a job coaching basketball at Dublin. My ears perked up. Not one for small talk or introductions, I turned toward the one who had spoken and asked, "My Dublin?" Our paths had crossed before, and we had a vague idea of each other, but we had never talked or connected. My question was eventually answered with a yes, he would be coaching at Dublin Middle School where I taught. I think he was excited to have a connection at the school, and I was glad because I had someone who I could sit with while I ate. That was as deep as my appreciation for this young basketball coach went. When I got home from church, I casually told my roommate that there was a man at church who would be coaching my students. She did not bat an eyelid before telling me I was going to marry him. His name was Matt. I did not know his last name until I got a Facebook friend request a few days later. We sent messages back and forth, mostly about the students but sometimes transitioning into discussions about us and our lives. At school, I found myself trying to think up questions or to notice things about the kids so that when I got home I could ask those questions or report that information to the basketball coach. Eventually he asked for my phone number, of course just in case he or I had something that we needed to communicate about the kids. I knew it was a front, and I was perfectly okay with it being a front. I gave him my number and our relationship moved from Facebook messaging to texting. The next Friday afternoon, almost two weeks after the potluck, I kept my phone near me. I knew he was going to text me. I knew we were going to beat around the bush back and forth for a while. I knew that he would eventually find a way to make it happen that we would spend that evening together. And we did. We contemplated watching a movie, but in the end we spent the night and the wee hours of the next morning just talking. Indulge the nerd side of me for a second while I tell you that in Orthodoxy, G.K. Chesterton defines romance as something that is completely comfortable and yet so exciting. My knowledge and assurance of Matt was so firm from the beginning that it almost frightened me. I was so sure of him. At the same time, I started not sleeping quite so well at night. I was excited. Chesterton has his moments of insight. We were never each other's type. I was reserved and quiet, he was expressive and loud. My students thought we would be great together, though. They started a school-wide campaign to set us up. Little did they know that before the idea had time to grow in their minds, Matt and I had spent an evening stargazing together. I am not sure if he asked to "date," or if I would be "his girl," or if the two of us could "go steady." Whatever he asked, our relationship moved to the step beyond friendship while we stared up at the stars. We let the kids try for a month to set us up before taking pity on them and confessing our relationship. Classroom conversation turned his way. I will continue to try to deny what the students will tell you – I did NOT blush every time they brought him up. The day after Matt told his basketball team that we were together, word spread like wildfire. I had one or two kids who might have literally cried with happiness. This story feels like an old one. I know that we have not actually been together for that long, but there is a depth of quality in the time spent. I cannot even tell you how many sports events I have watched and attended with Matt, learning to love what he loves. I have gotten to share my love of reading with him, and we read books to each other while on long road trips to visit family members on both sides. When I was miserable and sick and he was hours away, he called me, putting Jeopardy on speaker phone so that I could hear Alex read the questions. The voice was muffled and I could not understand the words, but it comforted me just the same. We have shared not just experiences, but insights and appreciation and knowledge. In the last several months, I have grown more expressive and I have seen Matt become more thoughtful. We have had deep spiritual discussions, learning from and challenging each other. He brings out the best in me. At times, he also exposes the worst in me. I never appreciate this in the moment, but it enables me to see and fight against the weaknesses of my own nature. We support each other and push each other into a closer relationship with Christ; this is the core of our relationship. It was Christ who saw that these two very different people could be better and serve Him better together. Trust me, this relationship would never have been my idea. I am unbelievably thankful that life did not go my way last October, or I would have cheated myself of the greatest blessing in my life.
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Copyright © June 14, 2000 Jerry Lee Walker Sr. |