Is the One of Your Dreams Just Around the Corner?
They say lightning can strike anywhere, and when referring to couples and relationships, they couldn’t be more right. Bob Pothier, the Founder/CEO of Hapacus, a company that teaches people how to be happy, reminds us that successful relationships are often a game of numbers. The more people you meet, the better your chances are for finding someone special. And Bob would know, as he is one of our featured love stories.
Today, I have four tales of first love, entitled The Matchmaker Player, Siren Song of the Saw Lady, The Dance, and Love on the Line. These stories offer four important messages. One, love is not always convenient. Two, love knocks when you least expect it. Three, love can be found everywhere from a library to a phone call. And most importantly, always remain open and prepared, because you never know when it’s going to strike.
The Matchmaker Player
“In the summer of 1986 a friend of my [now] wife and I was trying to set us up. Neither of us was a fan of this common friend, so after getting his description, we passed on the idea of connecting. He was a player and had a very bad history with women. When he told me about Virginia (my wife), I figured he was trying to set me up with someone he would like. When he talked to Virginia, she thought he didn’t understand women, and therefore, would never understand what she wanted in a guy. Later, at a dance club, another friend pointed her out to me, and because I had the background on her, and now a nice visual, we ended up talking. Ten days after we were engaged, and six weeks after that we were married. We’ve been married for 25 years and are the best of friends. We now work and spend all kinds of time together. Despite the personal failings of our common friend, he did know who was best for us.”
– Bob Pothier, Founder & CEO of Hapacus
Siren Song of the Saw Lady
“I saw an ad for a song contest. Even though I was not a singer (the ‘saw lady’ was once an aspiring dancer), I went and sang the one song I knew all the lyrics to, and won the contest. What I won was a own one-woman-cabaret-show. Since I wasn’t a singer, I started going to the Lincoln Center Library for the Performing Arts in order to find songs for my show. One day the man whose job was to hand out sheet music at the library, ran after me and asked to see my library card. When I first noticed him behind the counter, I knew that I had never seen him before, yet I felt as if I already knew him. It was a peculiar feeling, but at that time I didn’t translate it as anything significant. I honestly thought it was some library business when he asked for my card. I wasn’t looking for a relationship, but today that man is my husband.”
– Natalia Paruz (a.k.a. Saw Lady), Professional Musician
The Dance
“A few years ago my life hit rock bottom. My ex wife and mother of my children said she no longer wanted to be with me. I wanted to start over, so I moved from Alabama to Georgia. Mind you, I had limited money, no job, and no place to stay. A childhood friend said I could sleep on his floor until I could get back on my feet. It was my first Friday night in a new city, and my friend asked me to go out and dance. I refused at first, but I later realized I needed to get out for some air. I asked an attractive young lady named Kim to dance, and we grooved until the lights came on for us to go. We exchanged numbers. I never expected to meet someone so nice so quickly. An even crazier thing was that she lived 90 miles away. Since we first danced, we have been together for six years. We had the chance to dance at a birthday party two weeks ago—the chemistry is still there.”
– Derrick Hayes, Encouragement Speaker, Author of 1 WORD Is All It Takes
Love On the Line
“I met my significant other doing a radio interview over the phone. Having recently gone through a break-up, I was not looking to do anything but focus on my daughter as a single mother, and my work. It was the one year anniversary of 9/11, and I noticed a piece in the New York Times about a West Cornwall, CT artist (www.donaldbracken.com) who used to paint from a studio on the 91st floor of the World Trade Center. This was a perfect story for my 9/11 anniversary interview. I tracked him down in the phone book and left a message.
“He called me back and the interview lasted several hours. This voice on the other end of the line was sensitive, kind, intelligent. We began communicating regularly. He was in the throes of a relationship ending. I didn’t want to be the cause of someone else’s heartache. By the time we met, we had been communicating on a deep level with no cluttering of physical interaction. When he entered the restaurant—there was a halo around his head from a light in the entryway. I couldn’t see his face—It was like the elevator scene in Sleepless in Seattle. The sparks were incendiary. The mind had already made contact.”
— Marianne O’Hare, Publicity Expert
6 thoughts on “Inspiring Ways Couples Have Met”
I was at a low point in my life after I walked out on an abusive 26 yr marriage. I met a man online who was kind, caring and compassionate. I also discovered that he was 6 years younger than me. After 2 emails he urged me to give him my phone number as he felt he had to talk to me. Not having done anything like that before I did with some trepidation. That first phone call lasted 5 hours! He lives in Australia and i in New Zealand. The phone calls soon became nightly skype calls lasting form 2 – 6 hours. ^ weeks after first making contact he came to see me for 4 days. The visits became regular monthly visits of a few days each we got engaged after 4 months and he is now immigrating to start our wonderful life together.
In 8th grade I had to choose a foreign language to learn. I was stuck between German and French. Something told me to choose German even though French would have been more “useful”.
I loved German and went to Germany in 12th grade where I met my good friend, Mel, who went to the same school as me but was a year younger and I would have had no way of knowing otherwise.
I had good grades and got accepted into several colleges but decided I wanted to stay home and go to the community college for 2 years instead. I never thought I would do that, but something told me to and I listened, again. I wanted a job and my friend Mel got me a job at the pharmacy that she worked at. I knew I should work there.
I never had a boyfriend in high school except at the end of high school and it ended badly and I was heartbroken. Since I had been single my entire life I decided I was going to better myself until I found someone new. I always have communicated with angels and they told me to just hang in a little bit longer.
A new manager started working with me and he knew a supervisor at another store who was moved to our store. She turned out to be insane. I knew that right away. But again, something told me to just deal with it because she was going to give me something better than all the frustration she caused me.
And she did. She introduced me to her friend. A sweet, kind young man who is 7 years older than me. I knew right away though that he was my soulmate. I was 19 and he was 26 when we met and my mom was a bit hesitant as were some of my friends, but the second they all met him they fell in love with him almost as much as I had. We’ve been together ever since and are planning on getting married.
Even complete strangers comment on the energy that we give off when we’re together. Its powerful. It happened when I least expected it and if I didn’t listen to the little voice that I heard when I made these decisions, I don’t know if we would have met. He grew up 45min. away, which is just enough to make it difficult. Its true, its not always convenient and it happens when you least expect it… but it happens and you can’t pass anything up or doubt things. If I had decided that that friend was a little too “crazy”, I wouldn’t have met him. Even if I had decided to learn French… who knows!
I been with my boyfriend for 21 months and it about 2 years been to together
I believe you have to get out to get noticed. I joined a singles group, made friends with men & women. We went to a small concert where my love found me. He saw me enjoying myself, laughing, singing, etc. He found this attractive. We’ve been together almost 3 yrs.
great stories. I do firmly believe that marriages are made in heaven.
I was given an interveiw with a meduim..I was i was speaking to my late husband..he mentioned the name of an online friend i had just met..5yrs we are still chating..where it will go who knows,he pulls at my heartstrings