I was fresh out of high school, maybe 18 or 19 and I remember her passing by my house in her little red Hyundai Scoupe, honking and waving.  This happened regularly and I would do the same if I passed by her house.  We lived down the street from each other, for years, yet we never talked to one another.  We knew of each other, went to the same high school, and our little brothers were good friends, yet we never talked or hung out.  We may have had secret crushes on each other and we were both just too shy to talk to one another.  Who knows, we’re still trying to figure that one out.

Well, she did get enough balls one day to stop by and ask me out.  I was either outside cutting the grass or working on my car and to my surprise she showed up and asked me out to a local club.  Red Square to be exact.  Back then it was the place to be, and it’s where Christine would go practice all of her new wave dance moves.  You should see her new wave moves by the way, they’re awesome.  Anyway, what’s crazy is that neither one of us remember anything after her picking me up that night.  Not because we were drunk, because neither one of us drank, we simply can’t remember the night.  Only little bits and pieces.  We do remember her dropping me off after the club and that was the last time we talked, until years later.

This is just one part of our story.  There’s a lot more, which I may detail in a small book one day.  I believe there’s a great love story here at work and after being with each other for the past 1.5 or 1.8 years, we are always amazed at how connected we are.  I’m not sure why things happen the way they do, but like I said in my blog post yesterday, “Life’s all about moments of impact and how they changed our lives forever”.  (Read yesterday’s blog post) Both of our lives have gone through major changes over the past few years.  Neither one of us expected to be where we are today and who would have ever predicted that two people who lived down the street from on another would come together one day and have a second chance at love.

It’s happening right before us, and though we’ve been through our own challenges, we learn to love every day.  We learn something new about one another every week and it only pulls us closer and closer.  I love her smile in the mornings and how her hair looks all crazy sometimes, like an 80′s rock star.  I love her style and wouldn’t change it or ask her to ever be something that she’s not.  Her laugh is awesome and it’s music to my ears.  She’s feisty and I sometimes want to give her shaking baby syndrome, but I love her for being her.  That same feisty passion translates into the love that she has to give and it’s wonderful.  The way we end up sitting in the truck for half an hour in the driveway when we get home from somewhere is just one way that illustrates how much fun we have together.  And though she hates the freckles on her face, it’s those same freckles that caused me to fall in love with her.

So yeah, life is crazy.  We’ll never understand how we end up where we are or with whom, but that’s life, right?  I love where I’m at now and though “it took twenty years for us to find each other”, in Christine’s words, it was worth it.  Love you Christine.  Happy Valentines Day.

- Hector Garcia

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The first time I saw the trailer for the movie The Vow, my first thought was that this would be another Notebook movie attempt.  Of course many think the same thing once they see Rachel McAdams, the lead actress from the infamous Notebook movie.  And even though I took a few jabs at the movie I of course planned on seeing it, mainly because I’m a sucker for a good chic flick.  haha.

Yeah, you heard me.  I have no shame in admitting that I love a good love story / movie and won’t even hide the fact that these stinkin movies have the power to pull a few tears from me.  I know i look all big and tough and buffed, but deep down inside is a very tender heart with lots of love to give. 

So this was the case with The Vow, which my beautiful girlfriend suggested we see last night.  She felt it was slow while I was sitting there relating to Channing Tatum’s character and loved the passion and love that he felt for his wife.  Yes, I know that it was a movie but I really do believe that two people can love this way.  It doesn’t have to be a fairy tail or a big screen love story.  It’s available for everyone and it’s real.

“Life’s all about moments of impact and how they changed our lives forever”.  This is the main theme throughout the movie and Leo’s (Channing’s character) anthem.  This statement probably sums up all of our lives.  I know it does mine and I’m in the middle of an impact right now.  Actually several impacts, all that have led me to be with the beautiful and loving person that I’m sharing my life with.

In the movie, Leo finds himself fighting for his wife’s love, who lost the last 5 years of her memory in a car accident.  Because these two were so in love and so perfect for each other, you can only imagine how painful something like that could be for a guy like Leo, a man who obviously loves with all of his heart.  He’s very patient and he works hard and fights with everything that he has, only to find himself questioning whether he should give up.

I don’t know what i would do if I found myself in this situation.  I would have to fight like Leo.  I couldn’t give up.  I know how i am, and when i love I love with everything that i have.  I don’t know how to love half-ass.  I’ve seen that in myself these past couple of years with the person I’m with now.  We’ve been through a lot together and there were many times where I could have thrown in the towel, but because I believed in our love and continue to, I stand strong and I love her with all my heart.

You see, my girlfriend has suffered from bipolar the last few years.  Bipolar exposed itself during a few moments of impact that she experienced herself several years ago and since then it’s been a daily battle for her.  Through our time together I’ve had to experience her “go away” many times and each time that happens it’s like Paige losing her memory in a car accident.  She always comes back and because I always knew the deep love that was in there, I always waited.  These episodes were extreme a while back, but happen less and less now, and I want to believe that love is what is conquering.  Love and faith is what has kept us going and I’m confident that it’ll only make us stronger.

We found ourselves sitting in the theater last night after the movie was over with tears in our eyes.  All we could do is hold each other, finding words unnecessary.  We’re thankful for one another and she always thanks me for not giving up on her. I never will.

Don’t wait for a day like Valentine’s day to remind you to love.  Love everyday like it’s your last and love with everything you’ve got.  Many people find themselves in a rut or in a relationship / marriage that has been tested and the challenges of life put distance between them.  Close that gap by choosing to love with all of your heart.  Men, I challenge you to love your woman like no other.  Serve her.  Cherish her.  Honor her.  Fight for her.  Make a vow to never get too comfortable and to love the woman in your life as if it’s your last day on earth.

Tomorrow I will share more of our story.  Till then, Happy Valentines Day and take it easy on the chocolate.

- Hector Garcia

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