It's been a year now and we are getting closer. I can see it in your eyes when you look at me...just a little bit of searching me out, longing, considering. Just enough for me to know that good things are coming.

I like how you look at me and smile. I like your jolly laugh, your large stature, your kindness, your firmness of faith and hope no matter what comes in life. I like how we are comfortable together. I have never felt so at ease with a man in my life. I like the fact that I have known you for twenty years and you have a dependable and reliable character....you are trustworthy. I like how I can see your quirks and that I am looking at you realistically. I already know what is going to drive me nuts over the long term. These things are endearing now, but will drive me crazy later. I know this because I've gone through this before. But never with you, and never in this way.

What I love the most is that you told our mutual friend "She needs more time to heal from her divorce. We're not ready to date yet. She's been through enough, and I want to make sure that she is ok." Now there is a guy who is thinking of me, instead of himself. What an incredible refreshing change.

And I love our history...how all those years ago in high school we didn't like each other very much. If God could arrange life so that we could become friends after all these years, who knows what could happen next? I'm going to be patient. Because I know I'm not ready yet. You know I'm not ready yet, but time is moving forward and I'm healing every day. Your friendship is a treasure to me. We aren't in any rush.

We can go about this nice and slow and ease into things. That's how it's been going so far, and it has all been good. What you have given me in our conversations is a sort of "promise ring" for dating in the future. I am looking forward to that. Maybe this summer, ok?

[submitted 03/13/04]