We Found Love ...

“I'm falling fast, but the truth is I'm not scared at all.

You climbed my walls.”

- Lady Antebellum,

Can't Take My Eyes Off You

Looking back, 2011 had been anything but an easy year for me. So when 2012 rolled around I was hopeful that it would prove to be a year of great potential in every aspect of life. And that hope seemed to come to fruition when I got to kick off my year with an unforgettable holiday in Mozambique with 3 amazing people who have since become 3 of my closest friends. Many deep conversations and life lessons were shared over the course of that week. And upon our return to South Africa I made the decision that I would no longer actively pursue love. While I would remain open to the possibility and still go on dates when presented with the opportunity, I had found comfort in knowing that love would find me when the time was right.

After much encouragement, I had also finally entered the world of online dating. This proved to be interesting to say the least, and I could write a number of entries based solely on those experiences. But suffice it to say that a couple of dates later I was already contemplating abandoning the concept all together, due to the fact that I had found very little substance in any of these new found “friendships”. I decided however to keep my profile active and keep an open mind.

One sunny day in April I logged on again to check whether I had received any new messages. But before I even got to my inbox, one specific guy’s profile caught my eye on the homepage. I read his short bio and found it refreshing. And while I found myself intrigued, it also dawned on me that this wasn’t the first time I had found myself taken with someone’s profile only to be disappointed in the long run. I decided however to go out on a limb once more, and after exchanging a couple of messages we finally progressed to e-mails. In an era where many of us had grown accustomed to communicating via cellphone applications like BlackBerry Messenger, WhatsApp and iMessage, there was a certain old worldly charm to exchanging e-mails. He was positively charming, and I soon found myself anticipating the arrival of every e-mail.

Eventually we agreed to meet up for coffee, and only one day later I found myself at his house making good on that agreement. To say that he surpassed my every expectation would be putting it very lightly. He had the most beautiful blue eyes, and a smile that could light up the whole of Cape Town Stadium. Not only was he attractive - he was funny, smart and sincere. The similarities in our upbringings were striking.

The conversation carried on into the wee hours of the morning, and while I knew that it was time to go home I simply couldn’t pry myself away. The attraction was undeniable, and it certainly seemed to be mutual - something that I felt was proven when he invited me back later that weekend to spend more time with him.

Things progressed very fast, and in the first week after we had met we saw each other 6 out of the 7 days. In just a couple of days I had already fallen head over heels. You would be forgiven for pointing out that this wasn’t the first time that that this had happened to me. Yet, these feelings were so different to anything I had ever felt before. This wasn’t merely physical attraction. Yes, it was certainly a big part of it. But I found myself attracted to his beautiful mind, caring soul and kind heart. I knew there and then that I had found something worth pursuing. And knowing that, I wanted to do things right and take him out on a proper date.

I did just that, and by the end of that date we were officially seeing each other. I’m sure the smile on my face was visible all the way from Mars that evening. In that moment in time I was without a doubt THE luckiest man alive.

For the first time in my life I found myself completely unafraid. He had somehow managed to break down every wall I had put up. He was everything I had always hoped and prayed for. So much more in fact. With him there was never any need for pretences. I could just be myself, and know that that was enough. I had found someone who brings out the best in me. Someone who not only complemented me, but also challenged me to be so much more than I ever thought I could be. Never ever before had I been able to give of myself so freely and so completely. And I felt sure that I had at long last found the one thing that had eluded me. True love.

And my happily ever after.