I am a tenaciously patient person. For most things. Except food… I am tenaciously impatient when I am hangry. But I digress.
When I was a brand new adult at the age 18 years and 21 days, I went on a big girl vacation with my boyfriend Brian and his sister Deb and her life mate Steven, to Siesta Key, Florida. At the time of this trip, Brian and I had known each other for 4 months, and really only became a “relationship” days before we went on this road trip from PA to FL. This may seem like a whirlwind to most people. And in a way it was. However I knew the minute I saw him for the first time that he was meant for me.
I had started a new job as a bank teller at First Valley Bank in South Hampton, PA my senior year of High School, and I kept the job after I graduated. I had recently broken up with my high school boyfriend that tormented my heart and trust for the 2 years we dated, leaving my self esteem low, and my confidence even lower.
One day in early September, Brian walked in to the bank. That was the moment I knew. It was as if my soul recognized him and started jumping up and down, inside my stomach. You might know that feeling as “butterflies”. But I’m convinced that feeling is my soul doing somersaults.
Brian is a coy extrovert that loves attention, in a charming, confident way. He smiled and talked to everyone in the bank, and all the ladies loved him. I seemed to be the only one who did not know who he was. After watching him for a few moments I leaned over to one of the other tellers and asked who he was. Her snarky reply was “Don’t waste your time. He is too old for you and you are not his type.”
Thanks for the tip, Betty.
It is a very strange sensation when your self esteem is low yet your soul is on fire…
Brian seemed to have a mutual interest in me, as he made small talk at the window, held my gaze a little longer than he should have, and paused to say goodbye before he left. From that day on, he made regular trips to the bank, waiting patiently in line to get my window. One day he would withdrawal money from his savings account and put it into his checking account. A couple days later he would withdrawal money from his checking to put it back in to his savings account. Brian would make up reasons to linger longer at my window, saying he forgot his account and would ask me to look it up for him, or print out statements or any number of tasks to keep him longer. It was adorable.
It didn’t take long before we were going out to lunch frequently to get to know each other. We met each others parents and family and friends. In fact I had even gone with him to visit his grandmother in her Nursing Home. As Granny gave us a tour, she stopped in front of the activity room and announced “This is The Acorn Room. We have DANCES here!” and her face lit up with a great big smile. It was a simple, sweet moment.
Brian had a road trip to Florida planned for the first week in January, and he asked me to go. My first response was that my parents would never let me go … only to be told that he had already asked my parents if it was ok … and they said yes. It was an exciting trip with beach adventures, mopeds and a little tiny bit of underage drinking (for me – he was 25 years old). We were standing in the parking lot of The Quay in Sarasota, in the very late or very early hours, and I looked up at him and said “Some day I want to dance with you in the Acorn Room.” It was the moment of recognition that I wanted to spend the rest of my life, and grow old with, this man.
Fast forward …
We have been married since 1994. Depending on when you are reading this, you can do the math. How did I know at such a young age, and with minimal time together, that he was the one I would spend the rest of my life with? How much is destiny and fate? How much is commitment to the big picture? My belief is that it is equally split.
And so begins my story of long term goals and growth. The kind of goals that start out as a little acorn. The kind of goals that you water and nurture and sing to. The kind of growth that sometimes needs support, and prayers and pruning in order for them to go from seed to full grown trees.
Welcome to The Acorn Room.