When You Least Expect it, Love Will Find a Way

I met George and Gracie recently at a family birthday party. I had met George a few years ago before he and Gracie met. Gracie was charming and warm and we all liked her from the start. When we asked how they met, my eyes lit up with joy and I knew I had to share their story with you so here it is in George's words:"I had been happily married for 36½ years with most of that time being in the United States Air Force. We traveled all around the world and lived in various places. As they say; home is where the Air Force sends you. Each time was approximately 4 years each and we lived in places like 25 miles North of Tokyo, 81 miles North of London on two separate occasions, Spokane Washington, and twice at McGuire AFB near Trenton New Jersey. After retirement, I got a job with the State of PA and my wife got a job for the Federal Government at the Veterans Administration. About the time when we were both to permanently retire, she had succumbed to a long bout with cancer. As a combat hardened veteran, I can truthfully say that she was the bravest person I ever knew. She was laid to rest at Arlington National Cemetery.
So for the next few years I was recluse, lost and very lonely. I thought how horrible it all was and why could it not have been me to go. The thought of never having a best friend, confidant, someone to laugh with that gets me, a snuggle, someone to admire, someone to enjoy taking care of, holding a female hand, a warm caress, sharing a kiss, experiencing love and above all having someone love me. On top of that, I thought that I was too old and unattractive to ever find someone. Plus the fact that it would be impossible to ever find someone with even one tenth of the thousand attributes that I dreamed of; I.E. chemistry, height, age, weight, smoking, drink, job, ethnicity, religion, political views, education, kindness, caring, pets, hair color, eyes, passion, romance, etc., etc., etc. These are just some of the characteristics that a person unconsciously sorts out with another person, which normally takes about one to two years. Plus, girls like the bad boys and I can’t help it that I’m not that way; I.E.: I still hold the door for women, never let them carry a package, etc. Of course no one is perfect, so when you formulate an opinion; you have to take the good with the bad.
Then last summer, my niece and her husband invited me for a weekend at Ocean City, New Jersey. I walked the entire length of the boardwalk twice, and all the time I felt that I just didn’t fit in; everywhere I went I felt like the odd man out. It seemed that everyone in the world had someone but me; it was the most awful feeling anyone could ever experience; it takes away your happiness and any hope for the future.
So after that episode, the next day I had a dental appointment and my dental tech said: for all the time you were once married, you may have that ahead of you again and can start a whole new life! With that came an epiphany and I then decided that I just got sick and tired of being sick and tired! So I decided to lose some weight, get in shape and not feel sorry for myself anymore. Then on a whim, I joined a dating service called date.com. One day a cyber glitch crossed my written profile with a written profile of someone that was on matchmaker.com! These are two totally independent companies and systems! I can’t get into the Matchmaker system and she couldn’t get into the Date system. So with this divine fluke, we started corresponding on Halloween. She seemed so nice and her written profile was really great. The only drawback was that she lived seventy miles away. Meanwhile, I went out on four dates which never got past an evening dinner and two other women that I dated for a short period of time. So again, I thought this is just not working out and I was just about to give up for good. About that time my sister Janice, who is my Matriarch, confidant and best friend, kept telling me that it would happen when you least expect it.
So for one last time I thought I would contact this nice girl, named Gracie, who I’ve been writing to for so long that we were like real pen pals. Then around Christmas, just when I sent her my phone number, she did call and left a voice mail but I was not at home. She called again but I was unable to talk to her at the time. I wanted to call her back but didn’t have her number! In addition, she was feeling the same about giving up trying to find the right someone, and with that, closed her Match account which stopped the secure e-mail service. So when I realized that she was the one girl I really wanted to date; it was too late and I was unable to contact her. She probably thought I was so rude for not being able to talk that one time, plus not interested because I never called her back; I knew this and felt absolutely horrible. I looked at her picture from the computer and thought, I really blew it.
Meanwhile, Gracie’s dating service would not reimburse her for the unused month so she decided to keep it open. Although Gracie wasn’t using the service, her granddaughter Emmy, who is now 10, was browsing on her Nan’s (Gracie) computer and came across me! She asked if she could write because she thought I would be a really nice man for her Nan. Gracie conceded and on January 29th I received an e-mail from the dating service with this wonderful one line message that read: “Hi George, I’m Emmy, Gracie’s granddaughter. I think you look like a nice man. From my Nan and me.” I was totally over the moon to get this letter from such a sweet child, which gave me the ability to have contact again, because I now had her secure e-mail connection once more. So I contacted Gracie and from that point on, for weeks and weeks, we would talk on the phone every night for three and four hours, write e-mails, and txts.

Because of severe snow storms and other scheduling problems, our first date didn’t happen until February 14th; which ironically is St. Valentine’s Day! Everyone told me, whatever you do; don’t dress nice because you’ll look desperate and whatever you do, don’t bring flowers and candy because you’ll seem needy. Well, I went against everyone’s advice, went with my heart, and did just that. Besides, I felt this may very well be a one time date and being my last date ever, I would do what I thought best. When Gracie and I first met, she came right up to me and I didn’t even recognize her! No one ever looks like the picture in their profile; they usually look worse. When I first saw her, she was so stunning that I was completely taken away! We had a nice brunch at a country club and the hostess knew it was a blind date and placed us in a secluded area. We stayed there for four hours then walked at the local mall for two more hours. She gave me a Valentine’s Day card which I treasure today. Since then, we’ve been inseparable and I found out that love can happen at first sight and when you least expect it. Of all the relations in the world, usually one of the partners is always the dominant one. With us, we both love each other the same which I didn’t think possible. Of the thousand attributes to look for in a woman, she’s the only one I ever knew that fits each and every one. So my path in life that brought Gracie and I together, got steered by a profile I wrote on a whim, a cyber glitch which no one can explain, having one contact with Gracie before closing her account, having contact again just as I was giving up, to a dear letter from a nine year old girl named Emmy who was seeking a nice man for her Nan."
This is a great story about a connection that was JUST MEANT TO BE and only proves that when you least expect it, love is right around the corner!!