Finding Out The Truth

Dating is a fickle process.  Everyone wants to find "The One."  But putting yourself out there to find that person isn't easy.  It means sharing all of your weaknesses and vulnerabilities and hoping that the person comes away still liking you.

But when do you take your relationship to the next level?  When is it time to stop dating other girls?  For me that time was very clear.  Shannon and I had been dating for about a month and we were both still dating other people, and I was completely okay with that.  In fact, I had no plans of taking things any further than they already were.  In my mind, we were having a great time together, but I hadn't really thought about things going any further between us.

One weekend I had to go out of town for work and I really didn't even say goodbye to Shannon.  It was that weekend that my life changed forever.  No, I didn't have any life threatening experiences that put life life into perspective.  But what I did have was three nights of sitting alone in my hotel room with only my thoughts to keep me company.  I'd never considered it.  I'd never really thought about what she meant to me.  Usually I lived for these work trips when I would get to spend all kinds of money on my bosses tab and just get away from it all.  It was great.

This was 6 days after I got back from my trip.

All of a sudden this trip was different.  I resented having to be there.  And even more, I resented being alone.  All I wanted to do was call her and see what she was doing.  But I already knew what she was doing.  While I was sitting alone pining about this girl, she was out going on dates with other guys.  I was jealous.  No, I was extremely jealous.  I realized then that I didn't want her going out with other guys anymore.  Something had changed.

She didn't know it at the time, and I didn't tell her until months after, but that was the weekend that I fell in love with her.  I knew that I loved Shannon Paige Powell and I never wanted to go on a date with anyone else ever again.  It was amazing how two nights away could change my perspective so completely.  From that moment on I spent all of my time and effort to make this girl feel the same way about me as I felt about her.

We never had to DTR, it wasn't necessary.  After that weekend I wanted to spend all my time with her.  And that's exactly what happened.

As it turns out, her two dates that weekend had a similar affect on her.  But that's another story...