Soul Mate

This past November I took a personal assessment to determine my top 5 strengths. One of my top 5 strengths is connectedness. What this strength says about me is that things have happened in my life for a reason. I’m sure that they do, since I’m connected to someone very special. 

As Valentine’s day approaches I could not help but think about my wife, and best friend of 28 years, Linda. This coming March, it will be 32 years since I first saw her. At that moment, I knew that she would be the woman that I would marry. Although, it was love at first sight for me, it took Linda a little longer to see that we were made for each other. For the next 3 years I would I pursue her with a passion that is often seen in a sports team pursing that next win, a business guy snagging that next big deal, or a child as they learn to ride a bicycle with no training wheels.

Linda and I grew up about 7 miles from each other in small towns in south central Kentucky. Our county had two high schools, Linda attended one, and I attended the other. For our junior year, the school officials tried to combine schools for a year while a new school was being built. Since we would all be in the new facility together, the officials thought it would be a great idea to get us used to one another. Understand though, that the rivalry between schools was so strong that the sports teams could not even play one another for a fear of a war! Naturally, the class ahead of me wanted nothing to do with moving in with the other high school for their senior year, so they protested and the consolidation of schools would wait for the new building to be completed. 

As it turns out, Linda and I would be the first class in the new High School. The really strange thing is that I did not notice Linda until March of our senior year, which was a bit odd, since she was a cheerleader and I was a basketball player. I even ran for class president, and when during the election my opponent and I tied. You get one guess who Linda voted for! Although we had a good year in basketball we did not make it very far in post season play. The senior boys were allowed to attend the state basketball tournament and as things would have it the cheerleaders also got to go. This was where I noticed Linda for the first time, and when I fell in love with her. There was one little problem however, Linda was engaged to be married! Now, this might be a problem for some guys, but not for a guy in love. My determination paid off and we were married in college during our senior year, literally living on love and a paper route. 

I can’t imagine my life without Linda. We find strength in each other; she truly is my soul mate. I know that God placed her in this world for me. Like many, we have had our moments over the years, but we have always been able to work through, and resolve, any issues. 

These days, we are busy planning the next phase of our life when we will share our time together working in Haiti, side by side. When we were in our 20’s I told Linda that I wanted to be rich and live out my life with her on an island. God certainly has a since of humor, He seems to be honoring my wishes by showing us the country of Haiti. I am still holding out for that rich part though. Honestly, what more do you need other than shelter, clothes, food and the love of your life? 

Reflecting on the personal assessment that I took, I wonder; What if that school had not been finished for our senior year, What if Linda had married the person that she was engaged to, What if I had not played basketball? I think you get the point. I’m very thankful for my strength of connectedness and who I am connected with.