As some of you know, I’ve started dating a girl named Steffani. She’s a great girl and more than I deserve. I love her to pieces and actually hope and pray things work out. Usually when I like a girl for more than a week or two I look for ways out of the relationship. Not this time though as I’m hoping to get to go to Liberia in January mainly to be with her. There’s also a great opportunity with her organization Samaritan’s Purse with an internship that I’m trying to get but the main reason as I had to remind her today is that she’s over there. I could intern with SP theoretically anywhere, but the main reason I want to intern with them in Liberia is because I have one very beautiful reason to be there.
Earlier this year, I considered doing a World Race with Adventures in MIssions. It’s a chance of a lifetime. I would be going to 11 countries in 11 months after all; not something everyone gets an opportunity to do. I’m giving it up though, in exchange for the opportunity to be with my girlfriend. This led me to ask myself the basic question, “What is wrong with me??”
As a friend lovingly reminded me the other day, “What if your very own self from about two years ago could see you now?” I responded that I would probably punch myself in the mouth. For those of you who don’t know, I was anti-relationship in general but in particular to my own life for about a decade. I wanted nothing to do with a relationship. For other people it may be fine, but not for me. I was perfectly happy being single and free to travel on my own. As a matter of fact, overall I prefer to travel alone as this has yet to be tested with traveling with Steffani. Hopefully that will work out well and I’ll change my mind in regards to that. I have the right attitude to travel alone though. I’m outgoing enough that I rarely know a stranger and I have no problem with couchsurfing so in a sense I have a built in friend no matter where I may end up for the night.
Steffani is different though. For starters, she has been by my side so to speak for the last 8 years. We’ve been through a lot together and been by each other’s side as each of us struggled through different things over the past 8 years alone. For my part I’ve gone through some major episodes of depression due to having bipolar disorder. She has loved me through those episodes as a great friend who was always willing to listen to me whine, even if I went on for a while about just nonsense looking back on it.
You see, when someone stands by your side like that, it makes you take notice eventually. One day you wake up and realize what a diamond in the rough you have in the other person and can’t believe you didn’t see it beforehand. I’ve always loved Stef as a friend, but now I want more. I was so turned off to the idea of a relationship for so long and now that I’ve changed course I’m all in I dare say. I mean, what else would drive a man to give up a round the world mission trip in exchange for moving to Liberia of all places just to be with a woman??
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