Our Love Story: Good Men Really Do Exist!

My road to recovery took many years of healing.  It was not an overnight miracle
of "Cool, I am over the past!"  Oh no, every time I thought I was doing OK,
POW I would fall back into feeling low self esteem to the point that I would pull
within myself.  I pulled away from my family, friends and co-workers.  I was so
ashamed of the life I escaped.  I got into relationships that were not violent but
emotionally damaging.  I was in the habit of meeting men who were insecure and
had problems.  Basically I was not a whole and happy person.  Most of the men I
met were controlling.

I was able to talk to the ex husband and told him that I forgive him for what he
had done.  After that moment the heavy heart and memories that haunted me
disappeared from my life.  Just telling him that I forgive him and his actions
towards me and my children was a tremendous relief for me.  I was also able to
forgive myself.  The most important life treasures that I have are SELF
RESPECT, INNER STRENGTH, LIVING WITH NO WALLS AROUND MY
HEART, DIGNITY, INTEGRITY AND THE DESIRE TO HELP OTHERS.
LIFE TRULY IS PRECIOUS, I AM A STRONG WOMAN!

All the changes taking place in my life were leading me on the path of meeting
my husband Journey.  Yes there really are GOOD men out there.  Women like
us do have a difficult time being around a man who is sincere, gentle, treats us
like a lady and gives us respect.  We sometimes find that we just cannot handle
a man who is "NICE" because we are so used to being with men who are tough.  
Trust me ladies, I know what that is like!  If a man was NICE to me...I would run
away as fast as I could.  I had no idea of how to act around a man who showed
me deep respect.  It was just too weird being around a man who was NICE.  I
know you ladies can relate to that!

                         My Journey begins.....


Friends were telling me to get on  dating sites, so I tried the dating sites and that
was a circus in itself.  I would email people who emailed me on the sites and
gave a couple of men my phone number.  And men would ask me to go on a
date, so we set up dates and one hour before I would have to leave I would get
cold feet...affraid to meet a man especially after all the bad choices I have
made.  So I would call the man and break the date.  My excuse was always the
same explanation and the only one I could think of "I traumatized my dog today
by taking his stuffed animal, so I just cannot leave him alone tonight if I do he will
die of a broken heart." (No I did not tell a lie...it truly did happen to my weaner
dog Boo-Boo.  I just used that excuse over and over)
Honest, this is the silly things I actually told the men.  Hey it worked!  Men are
really funny creatures...None of them ever called me back to even say hello or
ask how BooBoo was doing!

I lived with a roommate at the time.  My roommate would tell me, I think you
have a serious problem.  You set a date then break it with a goofy excuse, your
a chicken!  My excuse to him was that I work too many long hours to waste time
actually going on a date.  I did put all my heart into my job, I loved it and
working with Alzheimer's is my passion.  I worked so many long hours that one
evening I had to rush to deposit my paycheck before the bank closed.  My bank
was next to the Walgreens drive thru pharmacy.  I was so tired and not thinking
clearly.  I pulled up to the teller drawer put my check, deposit slip and ID in it.  
A few seconds later the drawer pops open with my ID, deposit slip and  check
still in the teller drawer.  The woman at the window said "Miss, what did you
want me to do with this?"  As tired as I was, I was no mood for games I looked at
her and said "Why are you working here?  What do you think I am doing, just
deposit my check thank you!"  The laughing voice on the speaker said "This is
the funniest thing I have experienced.  This is Walgreens Pharmacy, the bank is
on your right."  I knew then that  it was time to get a life!

A friend of mine told me about a dating site called "Plenty of Fish"  So she
enrolled me on the site and I did my profile on there.  I went home and told my
roommate about that dating site and he enrolled on it too since he was also
single.  I was only on the site for 2 days and I got an email from someone.  He
said he would like to meet me.  I called for my roommate and said hey, take a
look at this mans pictures and profile and tell me what you think.  He looked it
over and said "he seems like your type and he rides a motorcycle and that is
your passion too.  Write him back."  So I wrote to him simply saying "YUP! YOUR
THE ONE I WANNA MEET!"  Wow, I was actually excited about this and not
a bit nervous at all.  I ran into the wall and broke my glasses and bit my tongue
OUCH!  
We set the date for Saturday afternoon at 12:00.  I really wanted to look good.  
He told me that he would be in a red truck and I said that I drove a gold car.  We
agreed to meet at a restaurant on the patio.  When I pulled into the parking lot, a
red truck pulled in too.  I was relieved because I felt uncomfortable looking for
someone who I have never seen before.  We got out of our vehicles and he
looked like the picture on Plenty of Fish.  So I caught up to him and said "Hey,
it's me we arrived at the same time."  He looked at me and said "Hey, yeah we
did and do we know each other?"  I laughed and said "It's me from Plenty of
Fish"  I waited for him to say something and feeling like I wanted to hide I
sheepishly said "I guess your not Journey are you?"  He said "No, but it was
great meeting you!"
The funny part about that parking lot scene was that Journey was sitting
in his red truck across from my car watching.  He watched me get out of my car
and thought "I hope that is her, she is cute."  When he saw me talking to the
other man his heart dropped thinking that I was with the other man.  I was so
embarrassed, but I mustered up the courage to walk into the restaurant and
went out to the patio...hmmm, no one out here but me.  So I sat down and
waited and waited and waited.  Finally he walked onto the patio and I saw the
best looking man I had ever seen and wow what a smile.  We could not take our
eyes off each other and we talked and laughed.  It was amazing we just clicked
instantly...we knew, yup! We just knew that we found each other.

He is a truck driver, enjoys playing the guitar and writing music and he rides!  I
was the Manager of an Alzhiemer's Unit and an artist in oil painting.  Getting to
know Journey was so natural and easy, so much in common.  Journey is very
different from what I had been used to, he is a gentle spirit, funny, fun and real.  
And not to forget that he loves riding in the riding the wind.  One of my favorite
things to do is each of us on our bikes we ride side by side down the road...what
a feeling to look over and see him on his bike beside me I love it!  What I don't
like is that his pipes are louder than mine and he just has to rub that one in!  
We will be at a stop light and he looks over at me and revs his bike up several
times and laughs...but thats OK because someday I will have a bad sounding
bike like his and watch out Journey I will get even with you on that.  I truly
married my best friend and we have not had arguments, fights or cross words to
say to each other...AND... He loves to go shopping!!! What more can a girl ask
for!  Through his respect for me and love I have opened new doors in my life
with the knowledge that my husband Journey, stands beside me.

My grown son had been hurt so much by his father that he does not trust men to
get close to them emotionally.  When he met Journey, the bond was there
immediately.  He calls him DAD, and has a deep respect for him.
Its amazing how two people can come together and not have a problem with
blending their lives together into one.  The respect we have for each other is
immense. I truly am blessed in so many ways.  And...he loves me just the way I
am.  Nice men really do exist allowing for a healthy relationship.
      READY 2 LIVE                          
   
WOMEN REBUILDING LIVES FROM ABUSIVE RELATIONSHIPS
Be safe on the Internet. Abusers are controlling and will check out your actions on
the Internet.  Call 911 if you feel you are in danger
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