The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face

Listen to this as you read the story. It will make you feel:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5JWAmF-Z4r4

He stood in the airport arrival area. Butterflies danced in his stomach. In only a
few minutes, for the first time, he’d meet the woman he loved. People swarmed around
him. In the busy Newark, New Jersey airport, they paid no attention to this man standing
alone in a sea of humanity. His nervousness was lost on them.

He stared at the board announcing the arrivals, saw her plane had landed, and
felt a spear of panic pierce his soul. “What am I doing?” he asked himself. “Is this right?”
Deep down, he knew it was. He’d met her in a support group for widows and widowers
on the internet. For three months, they’d been emailing and talking on the phone
continuously. There was a special connection between them, which had yet to be proven
in person.

They both recently suffered the loss of a spouse. Was it loneliness that drew them
together – a shared grief – or was the magic they felt real? After all their talks, they both
knew something was happening. It seemed out of their control.

“I want to visit you.” she said to him one day.

He smiled, held the phone close to his ear to hear her breath, and whispered, “I’d
like that.”

They lived so far apart. She lived in North Carolina and had a life there. He
worked in New Jersey, not really lived, just worked and survived. Since the loss of his
wife, it was only him and his son. He had no life or family in New Jersey. What is life
without love? It’s empty.

Her family and friends in North Carolina thought she was crazy to fly to New
Jersey to meet a man she met on the internet. “I can take care of myself.” she told them.
“I know what I’m doing.”

He looked at the arrival board again. Her plane was at the gate and unloading.
He stepped closer. Soon she’d come through the gate. What then?

The minutes passed. The number of people walking down the hall from the
gate grew and thinned. He scanned their faces. Men, women, children, but not her – not
yet. His heart hammered in his chest. “She’ll come!” he reassured himself.

Behind a couple with two children in tow, he saw her. He recognized her from
pictures she’d sent. She was a tiny little thing, but so beautiful. His heart swelled in his
chest. She’s the woman I love.

She came through the gate and scanned the crowd. Their eyes locked. She smiled.
“Ginny?” he asked.

“Michael?”

“Yes!”

We were in each other’s arms. I held her tight. She fit – in both my arms and my
heart. “Ginny, it feels so good to hold you.” I said above the noise of the people around
us. Our lips touched in our first kiss.

I held her hand, led her to the luggage area and to the parking lot. Once we were
in the car, I turned to her, “I’ve waited a long time to do this.” and held out my arms.
She leaned toward me. We held each other and kissed the kiss of dreams.

On the way home, at every stop light, I leaned over and kissed her. Love in my
life again.

That night, I cooked sweet-and-sour beef stew, served over noodles. We spent a
wonderful evening together and woke tangled in each other’s arms – perfect harmony.
It was right.

Ginny once wrote:

He was nervous and I wasn't. No one could believe that I was flying from North
Carolina to New Jersey to meet someone I met over the internet. I knew I wasn't flying to
just "meet someone". I knew I was flying to my future. As I walked through the gate, I
knew him immediately. During that first hug, I knew that I had come home. It felt so
right.

It still is.

We counted the days we had actually been together before we got married – thirty
days. That's it! There are a lot of people who can't believe we got married so soon and
they just don't understand. Since we have been married, which was eight months ago last
Thursday, we have been together 24x7. If you think about it, because he was out of work,
we have spent more time together than most people who are married for two or three
years in those eight months, and I love him more now than I did then.

I asked God to bring someone into my life. Someone to love me completely and I
could love completely ...no holds barred. My prayers were answered.
I love you too, Michael. Actually, it's my day, so I love you MORE!!!!!

Ginny

*****************

Ginny said she wanted someone to love completely. She referred to this song by
Diamond Rio.

Here are lyrics to the song. If you prefer click the link and read along as you listen.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5nWdvClYo0M
Completely, wanna give my love completely
I'd rather be alone than be in love just half the way
I want to find someone that I can trust
Completely, wanna give my heart completely
To someone who'll completely give their heart to only me

And when I find that one

That's when I'll fall in love

Completely

Not half but whole

With heart and soul

Completely

Not in between

But everything

Completely

That's the way it's gotta be

The way I want someone to fall in love with me

Forever wanna feel the word forever
And know there'll be somebody there forever by my side
And when that feeling comes
That's when I'll give my love

Completely
Not half but whole
With heart and soul
Completely
Not in between
But everything
Completely
That's the way it's gotta be
The way I want someone to fall in love with me

It's all or nothing at all for this heart of mine
And I won't give up this heart till the day I find
Someone who needs me

Completely
Not half but whole
With heart and soul
Completely
Not in between
But everything
Completely
That's the way it's gotta be
the way I want someone to fall in love with me

The way I need someone to fall in love with me

*****************

Ginny, it’s been seven years since our first meet. I love you more than before –
more each day. We’ve had rough times, but our love is the anchor that holds us firm. I love you completely.

Thank you for being my wife.

Michael T. Smith

Story ID:	6749
Written by:	Michael Timothy Smith (bio, link, contact, other stories)
Story type:	Musings, Essays and Such
Location:	Fort Lee New Jersey USA
Year:	2004
Person:	My Love