The story about how we met is a very weird one and let’s just say that I wasn’t expecting things to turn out the way that they did. I wanted something from him, he wanted something from me; I figured I wasn’t going to leave him alone until I got what I wanted, and he apparently wasn’t going to leave me alone until he got what he wanted. Sounds like the perfect match right? Yeah…wait till you hear the rest of the story.
Life with him has been nothing short of surprises. Every time I think I have everything figured out, something crazy happens. And I’m not talking about normal crap like being lied to or getting swindled for my hard earned money by the police. Nooooo, I’m talking about really crazy things:
• Like the time I almost fell into a decent sized canyon in Nigeria (long story)
• Or when I was on a KLM flight not too long after 9/11 and our engine gave way smack over the Atlantic ocean (I don’t swim)
• Or even when armed robbers complete with guns and machetes (or swords depending on where you’re from) came to visit at 1 am in the morning….on two occasions
• Did I mention that a household fire also consumed everything that was of any kind of value to me at one point? (no, insurance did not cover replacement costs for any of it)
• I’ve suffered from real hunger. The type that you experience so often that it eventually leads to anemia but, as Fela would say, you learn to smile as you suffer
The ironic part is, I know people that have experienced far worse. I could go on and on about some of the things my eyes have seen in the few years I’ve spent on this earth, but I don’t want you to miss the point of this story. I’ve known what it means to be poor and I’ve also enjoyed what it means to be rich; but regardless of whether I was rich or poor, happy or sad, fat or anemic, the man I love, loved me back…always.
Granted, we’ve had our share of rough days but I simply cannot imagine my future without him in it. He tests my patience, provokes me almost all.the.time, and forces me to do things that I would ordinarily never do; but at the end of the day, my life will have no meaning at all if it weren’t for him. My first love’s name is Jesus Christ. He is the one that has sustained me and given me the strength to press on no matter what happens.
It doesn’t matter how smart we are, nobody can rationalize him in or out of existence. He is real and his love is the only kind of love that never fails. Wanna know something else? He is the reason that Christmas exists. As you celebrate this year, don’t feel bad if you can’t give the best gifts to your family and friends. After all, it’s Jesus’ birthday not theirs (at least that’s my excuse every year. haha)
On a more serious note, though, I don’t think there is any other piece of information on this entire website that is more important than this post, but I ordinarily wouldn’t publish it simply because I know how quick some people are to become offended. but what can i say?…I guess i’m sharing this post with you today because you only live once. Act accordingly.
Update December 2012: This story was first published here in 2010. Since then, it has been shared dozens of times, republished internationally, and distributed in print. You’re welcome to copy, reprint, and distribute as you see fit–with or without credit to this website.
