It always finds me when I don't expect it...

There are moments when this journey gets so tough. So tough to believe. To hope. To hold on. An unassuming day, waiting around an unexpected corner, you catch a glance of a face, a smile, and you're pulled in. You're drawn. You're feeling all those same things again. And it feels so good to get a second glance, a smile, a laugh. You haven't felt that in a while, that sense that you caused someone to look twice. Captivated them. And they captivate you. But my yearning for relationship, for love, has always seemed to lead me into playing with fire. But maybe I'm accustomed to getting burned. It's all I know. Why does it seem so nice, yet so hard? I'm not supposed to want this. To seek this. But it's hard on moments like this, when I don't get it from anyone else. And I realize just how much I desire it. I wish it was so different. But it's not. At least not yet. Honestly, part of me wishes on days like this that there was one, just ONE exception...

"And I’ve always lived like this
Keeping a comfortable distance
And up until now
I had sworn to myself that I’m content with loneliness

Because none of it was ever worth the risk...

But you are the only exception
You are the only exception
The only exception

I’ve got a tight grip on reality
But I can’t let go of what’s in front of me here
I know you’re leaving
In the morning, when you wake up,
Leave me with some kind of proof it’s not a dream

And you are the only exception
You are the only exception

And I’m on my way to believing
Oh, I’m on my way to believing..."

You had me at "Yassou"...

So this weekend was the annual Greek Festival in Columbus, and as always, I was there every night, eating, dancing, eating, celebrating, dancing, and eating some more. This is probably my favorite weekend of the year. I love going downtown to our beautiful Greek Orthodox Church and celebrating my Greek culture with the rest of the Greek community. There is such a spirit of joy, love, family, and LIFE in that place. Oh yeah, and the smell of delicious roasted lamb...

After 2 days of hanging out at the festival from around 4:30pm-midnight (no joke), I had a revelation: There is no doubt in my mind..... I WILL MARRY A GREEK GIRL. It's just a given, a fact, a undeniable, unmistakable, truth of the universe. Just sayin'.

Saturday night around 11:30pm when the party is REALLY happening on the dance area, the band played a song to which you dance the "καλαματιανο" (kalamatiano) -the most traditional folk dance of Greece. Several dance circles had formed and I quickly jumped into one. About 5 dance steps in I noticed the dancer to my right whose hand I was holding. Let's just say it was probably the prettiest Greek girl at the festival-and that's saying something, because well, helllooo it's a GREEK festival-i.e. GORGEOUS people. She turned her head and looked at me and smiled. I melted. She leaned towards me and said "Yassou" (Greek for 'hello'). I melted more. We continued dancing, shouting OPA, and sneaking glances. When the song ended, a beautiful middle-aged lady who was dancing in our circle (on the other side of my new-found Greek love) camp over to me and said "You're a great dancer! My name is Maria, this is my daughter Ana."-pointing to my girl. PERFECT. I've now already met her Mom, and she seems lovely. I can almost hear the wedding bells...

But as quickly as it began, it was over. We exchanged "nice to meet you"s, final glances and smiles, and she disappeared with her Mom into the midnight. I just stood there, looked up to the starry sky, closed my eyes and smiled a smile of deep contentment. I hope to see her again, but whether I do or not, it was a great moment for me. And I thanked God for the girl He has planned for me. Yassou, my love...