You've Come A Long Way, Baby

Many of you were around last November when I met the Bishop (I'd put the link here, but TMobile says "be thankful you're blogging at all, picky bitch"). Well, now here we are 8 months (and 8 days) after our first date, still laughing at each others' silliness and planning our lives together. And none of this would be if it weren't for today. On July 27, 2006, the love of my life lost the love of his. Forever. She was here one minute and the next, she was gone. After 14 months of marriage and a week after a cruise to celebrate their first anniversary, she was gone.

When I met him, he seemed okay on the outside. But it was in those quiet minutes between laughs that never really reached his eyes that I could see how deep his pain was. He was determined not to let the loss of her life mean the loss of his, but he just seemed so... shook. So I heard him claim to want to date me with my ears, but pushed him away with my heart. He wasn't ready. It was too soon. What would people say? Time and prayer have shown me that people enter your life for a reason, a season, or a lifetime, and whatever God's plan was for their marriage, He had a different plan for me.

And so now it is July 27, 2007. What a difference a year makes. Now he laughs with his eyes. Now he says her name and he doesn't tense up or look away. Now he visits a little less ooften and returns a little less burdened. Now he says "when" instead of "if." I still see her picture. She still lives in his heart. But I finally realize now that so do I, and there's room for both of us. So rest in peace, SJB. I know you loved him first, and I can only hope that you too have found peace in Bishop's new life. He's happy again, but not because of me. I've been here and I've loved him through his journey, but you gave him what he needed to be the man who stands on his own today.