When you least expect it, love will find you

On the 24th September 2001 at 01:17, in a world still reeling from recent tragic events I left the following message on the 'guestbook' of a lovely sounding profile on Love@Lycos:

'All I can say is that some guy, somewhere will be very lucky and very happy. Not all things that sound too good to be true are, I'm sure you're proof of that. Goodnight, good luck and goodbye.'

That profile belonged to adorable wife.


Both were on Love@Lycos for very different reasons, neither truly expecting it to lead to anything serious. Remember, this is a time before Facebook and before Twitter, meaning places such as Love@Lycos were early pioneers into the online social phenomenon. You gave a brief overview of yourself on a profile, had a public guestbook for passers-by to comment and a private inbox for personal contact. They also had an instant messenger for real-time conversations.


And this is how adorable wife and I fell in love. As you all now know from her guest spot on my blog, she is also very adept at writing. It was via a shared love of the written word that drew us together. In a sea of monosyllabic replies and repetitive 'lols' as a response to each and every comment, it was a breath of fresh air to be able to communicate with a smart, witty woman, who could bring something to the conversation, rather than act solely as a passive voice.


Without design or intent we began to fall for each other, before we'd even shared a single photo or spoken on the phone. 


On the 30th September 2001 at 17:23 I wrote the following message on her guestbook:


'On golden sands, two pairs of feet,
traveling alone, they do not meet.
Yet they had watched the same blue sky,
the same stars reflected in each eye.
The tide approaches washing the prints away,
but when it retreats, a couple of each stay.
Together they stand, facing the sea,
watching and waiting for what may be...'


It is fair to say that is that magical week, what had started as a friendship, had already started to transform into love. 

I captured and copied those public messages before time deleted them forever, so, we are in the rare position to be able to pinpoint quite accurately the moment we both fell in love. 


On the 16th October 2001 at 01:24 adorable wife wrote the following on my guestbook after our first phone conversation:


'~To the greatest guy I know~


Thank you for the lovely time yesterday. You always bring me such comfort and joy to each and every day. But by far that last "hour" spent together was so memorable ... a surprise ... blew my mind away! ... wish it could go on forever. I guess it was only a matter of time before we take our friendship to another level. We have become so real to each other now. We will have to do that again ... sometime soon. But only this time ... let me lead okay? I might just surprise you :-)


You have found your soul mate in me long before L@L could confirm it. Know that this Angel shall always take good care of your soul.


~your Angel forever and a day~'


The rest, as the cliche now must go, is history. 10 years have flown by, our lives have changed beyond recognition. But we have remained the same love struck pair we were back in those heady days online, when every new message made my heart leap.

Adorable wife and I at Tanah Lot - Bali