Everything Happens for a Reason. This has always been one of my favorite sayings and has helped me get through many difficult times in my life. Although there have been a few times in my life when I just couldn’t see any reason why certain things were happening to me. One of these times occurred just over 7 years ago, and had me questioning everything I thought I knew.

I was only 28 years old and felt very “content” in the way my life was going. I had been dating my childhood sweetheart for almost 8 years at the time and even though I never really felt I was as happy as I could be, I thought that was where I belonged. We both made good money working for Verizon, our families had known each other forever since we grew up in the same neighborhood and we had been friends for as long as I could remember. What else could I need in life? Well, I would soon find out that not only did I need more but I deserved more.

I remember the day so vividly. It started out as a normal day for me but I would soon be looking for reasons. I was working split shifts at the time so I had already worked 4 hours and was home for a bit until I went back at 6pm. As always my boyfriend stopped by around 3:30 after work but today he seemed different. I was sitting on my couch watching TV as he walked in. He could barely look at me and stayed standing in the living room doorway. “What’s going on?” I asked. Very softly he replies, “I don’t know where to begin.” “What are you talking about?” I pried. “Mel, I am just not in love with you.”, he barely spits out. My mind went blank as I couldn’t understand why or how this happened. I didn’t, or couldn’t , say anything to him. The next sound I heard was the outside door closing behind him as he left me crying by myself on the couch. At the time I was thinking that the love of my life had just walked out that door & I was wondering, What reason could there be for this to happen to me? My favorite saying now seemed so trivial.

During my time of heartbreak all of my closest friends were there for me, especially my roommate, Jason. Jason was not only my roommate & a good friend to me but he was also my now ex-boyfriend’s best friend. Despite that fact he was always there for me from day one. Whether he was the shoulder for me to cry on, the ear to listen to me, or the voice asking me how I was doing that day, He was there. Although all I wanted to do was curl up into a ball & disappear he wouldn’t let me. He made sure I still made it to my weekly poker games with friends and took me for hikes with him at Fort Barton. During these nice long hikes I got to clear my mind & we talked about everything from family to past relationships & everything in between. I started to look forward to these hikes and feeling better about myself. Jason always listened and made me feel like he actually cared about what I was saying, something my ex never did. I honestly don’t know how I would’ve got through those first few weeks if not for Jason. He literally dragged me back to reality & made me see that I deserved much more than just being “content”.

As the weeks went on I continued going to my weekly poker games with friends and my now almost daily hikes with Jason but something was different. I was thinking of Jason while at those poker games and smiling from ear to ear while on those hikes. “What is this feeling?” I had to ask myself as I had never felt this happy before. I thought this feeling only exists in movies. “Could it just be a deep appreciation for everything he has done for me as a great friend?” I think to myself. I wasn’t sure what I was feeling but I surely wasn’t going to do anything about it and risk our friendship. So I ignored it, for now.

Jason & I continued our hikes and were learning more and more about each other every day. He was such a man’s man but somehow still sensitive enough to make me feel so special. He made sure to compliment me every chance he got and always asked me how my day was going, something I never got from anyone else before. Jason was opening my eyes in a whole new light. Even bigger than I could ever imagine.

We both love to laugh & to make each other laugh whenever possible and apparently Jason had also been thinking of me while I was at my weekly poker games because he gave me some of my best laughs on those nights. One Saturday night I came home from poker to find what else but my favorite late night junk food, a soft taco, on my pillow! “This kid cracks me up!”, I laugh out loud with a huge smile. He was thinking of me. “What is this feeling?”, I found myself asking again.

The following Saturday, after yet another poker game, I find another present on my pillow…. The Marilyn Monroe edition of Playboy! “Oh My Goodness this Guy is Too Much!!” I shouted as I crack up with laughter. From the other room I hear a faint chuckle. “Jason? What the heck is this?” I ask while holding up the magazine, still cracking up. “I wanted to share my most prized possession with you. Don’t you like it?”, he says with a serious face. “Yes, just as much as the taco last week, Weirdo!” We both laughed and retreated to our separate bedrooms. As I lay in bed I can’t help but think about what these feelings are I was having for Jason. Was it just a great friendship or something else? I wasn’t used to getting so many compliments or laughing so much with someone so I was confused on how or what I was supposed to feel.

Over the next few months I found that Jason & I were spending more and more time together & I had never been so Happy in my life. Had I found the reason why the break-up happened? Finally I decided to confront my feelings and talk to Jason. I also remember this day so vividly as it was a huge turning point in my life.Talking to Jason had always been so easy but on this day the words just didn’t want to come out. “What do I say? Am I going to ruin the best friendship I ever had? Don’t think Mel just do it!!” I convinced myself.

I had the day off from work and was laying out in the sun. Jason had just returned from the gym and joined me on the blanket I was sunbathing on. “Now is your chance,” I thought to myself, but before I could say anything Jason leaned over & gave me the best first kiss ever! Right then & there I realized I had found my reason. I had never actually known what love was until this moment. I always thought “content” was enough but Jason showed me that I could & should have more.

From that moment on the blanket in our yard 7 years ago to this very day Jason has showed me what it means to Love & to be Loved. I still believe that Everything happens for a reason even though sometimes  that reason isn’t so clear at first. Although I did have to go through some pain first, I am so glad that my reason was right in front of me the whole time and that reason was Jason, my True Love. As strange as it sounds I actually thank my ex-boyfriend for ending things when he did & for making me find my soul mate. To this day we are actually all still friends & Jason still makes me feel like the most important person in the world everyday. EVERYTHING HAPPENS FOR A REASON………..