he asked me to dance.

 

i was sixteen. so was he. {not in the picture.}

we went to different high schools. same church.

we ran around in the same circle.

i dated his friends. 

he dated mine.

it was october. 

i walked into church wednesday night... in the old fellowship hall. {oh, how i miss that fellowship hall!} he was sitting off to the left at a long rectangular table with his buddies. {my buddies too, by the way.} 

i casually looked his way & said, "sup. i heard you're going to our homecoming."

he very casually {and flirtatiously} said "yeah, you'll have to save me a dance."

and i smiled. an unfamiliar goosebumpy feeling came over me. 

"no, you save ME a dance."

and y'all.

that was it. 

for whatever reason i was only dropping my brother off for church. i ran in to say hello to my friends & then leave to study {or whatever!} for the rest of the night. i happened to see him. we happened to exchange those words.

because otherwise we were friends. had been for a while. never thought twice about it. 

but that was a divine appointment. 

i couldn't stop thinking about it. 

in fact, my {actual} date and i almost missed the dance. we had to be there by 10 to get in. and we literally walked in at 10:01. barely. 

but God knew. He had a plan.

and i danced the first dance with my date. {an old friend of mine, by the way. there are absolutely no hard feelings on his part. promise.}

and then it was j and i. i can't remember seeing anyone else. or talking to anyone else. all i remember is dancing with him. and singing. and laughing so hard until it hurt. and being so sad when we had to leave. 

fifteen years ago today he took me on our first date. my last first date. 

he has been my saving grace more than too many times over the years. 

he keeps me grounded. 

he lets me dream. 

he encourages me. 

lifts me up. 

accepts me. 

challenges me. 

it has not always been pretty. please don't think that. we've had some very high highs, yes. but we've also had some lows. dark times that were sad & lonely even. but they've shaped us and molded us into who we are today. together AND apart. 

i am thankful today. for him. for love. for young love. new & fresh & giddy. 

and i'm thankful that there are many days still that i get glimpses of that goosebumpy feeling. new & fresh & giddy. and although that feeling certainly doesn't sustain any relationship, it is fun & refreshing to feel it all the same. 

so, let's go get that feeling, girls. even when it feels so far away, it can still come back. 

remember what it was like when you first met? your first kiss. the first time he held your hand. when he told you he loved you....

you're smiling already aren't you? 

have fun. :)

xoxo. 

b