I rarely write in the first person as I find it a little intrusive and a personal window into my life, however, this time, I decided to tell my story in the hopes that somehow others may benefit.

The Year My Dad Passed Away

It all began in 1998.  My father had passed away after a six-year long battle with cancer.  I was in my 20’s then and most of the years were spent with my Dad; something that I will never regret.  If you were to ask me any details of the events that occurred between 1992 to 1998 I really would not be able to tell you.  My subconscious had decided to neatly tuck away these unpleasant thoughts until a later date I guess.  The battle ended on April 8, 1998 as he lay peacefully in his bed surrounded by his children. 

The next day I awoke in a state of overwhelming disbelief.  My Dad was essentially my best friend and mentor.  I realized that from this point forward I was on my own to deal with the trials and tribulations that life had to offer. I took a week off work and then decided to ‘pull-up-my-bootstraps’ and go to work.  Getting through the day was difficult, however, I tried to keep as busy as possible.   

The Quest To Find ‘Mr-Right’ Begins

A few months passed and the grief really began to set in.  My Dad was gone.  I was alone and my friends were all married with children.  I guess I kind of felt like Bridgette Jones, only she used alcohol to numb her pain.  Soon the months turned into a year and finally I decided that enough was enough.  I was going to find a man who I could love and who would love me back and so the quest began.

In the Fall of 1999, I was too busy with work and so I decided what better way to meet someone than through a professional matchmaker.  That day would prove to be one of the worst mistakes of my life.

The matchmaker would send me a form in the mail with the details matching my person of interest.  Once both parties had agreed, they could speak over the phone and then meet for coffee.  The first time he called, I was so attracted to his voice.  I didn’t really care what he looked like at that point.  We had the same cultural backgrounds and we immediately hit it off.  We met a week later and sat and talked for three hours.  It was a match made in heaven or so I thought?