Stop and remember

Eleven years ago this Friday, I met my wife.

I didn’t know it at the time, of course, but within a few days I had connected with her and began making my intentions clear that I wanted to get to know her better.

We ended up dating long distance for two years before we both finished college and moved home.

I remember the day we met well. I received a call that afternoon from what would become my first employer. I’d gotten the job, and the biggest stress of college was over. I could now turn my attention to the beautiful woman I’d meet just a few hours later.

It isn’t like me to remember important dates, though I am a nostalgic type. But this one stood out. My life was changed forever.

Don’t let pages on the calendar turn over without taking time to stop and remember. The future will come, or it won’t. But the past can always be reflected on with gratitude.

This Friday, I will pour a drink with my bride. We will toast to a meeting that could have never happened, but we are sure grateful did. I’ll slow down to be thankful for October 14th, 2011. After all, it is celebrating the small moments that make the years worth living.