Serendipity has been in the foreground of life’s happenings over the past few weeks, and as my mind traveled to other topic grounds this morning, that funny little thing that has a mysterious way about it, struck again.
Today marks the tenth anniversary of Shannon’s and my first date. Most people don’t celebrate, or even recognize their ‘first date’. Though a fateful event for all who make it down the line as a couple, first dates usually end up as fodder to entertain the kids and grand kids at family gatherings as the lights dim from life and folks simply want to reminisce and hope.
Not us. It is not only a huge marker in each of our lives, but a fantastic story that has its beginnings a bit prior to that fateful late afternoon in Birmigham’s Collonnade, home to what would become our favorite neighborhood haunt, Black Market Bar & Grill.
You see, I simply had it with all the dating, searching, moving. As a matter of fact I was makin’ a change and ready to just buck up to the reality of going it alone. I visited a local tattoist about ‘inking’ up my entire back with buddhist art, and even made my way to the local skate shop where they put me a really rad skateboard together. Hot Yoga was my social, spiritual, exercise event choice, and the latest CD’s from Rick Ross and Neyo were taking turns in my car CD player. I had it with life and was making changes, changes that would count.
On Match.com, the primary conduit to relationship building in 2015, I had had enough as well. It was simply tiring bullshit. But, something in my mind kept seeing this one profile. I had never attempted to connect with her, but something told me to before I threw in the towel and moved on to the ‘new me’. I mean, what the hell?
The result of that action was a late Saturday afternoon date at Black Market. I knew all the tricks and was very conservative with my expecations. I knew that simply due to the time of the ‘date’, there was a high likelihood of two things: 1) She had another date that evening. And, or, 2) She knew people at the bar, and if things went south, there would be someone there to dispense of me properly.
Long story short, #2 from above was actually true. BUT, we met, instantly clicked, and have been together ever since. My ‘making changes’ certainly happened, but not in the way my rebel heart had planned. I did use that skateboard a bit, enough to tell me it was a bad idea, and the tattoos didn’t materialze, thankfully.
These past ten years have been a wonderful turn for me, and I believe Shannon would say the same. Has it been easy? Yes. So often, we force the idea that ‘no’ is the appropriate answer to that question, but I would be lying if I said that, and I am not going to apologize. I’m sorry if many have had rough roads, but ours has not been. Yes, we have had to go through human hard times. We have both lost our parents and loved ones. We both have had family issues, and I have had a couple of job segues during our times. When we went away to Austin after actually tying the knot, the main floor of our house flooded. We moved into our house several years ago and had instant roof issues. We have lost dear pets. My point is that we have certainly had our share of contact with the humanity of life. However, I can’t imagine a more beautiful, stable, easy to deal with person to walk through those times with than Shannon.
Shannon and I wouldn’t have worked at any other time. It is impossible to think that we would meet at all, but timing is everything and timing put us together in the right place for each us. I certainly got the better part of the bargain here, and I am grateful for this every second I breathe.
Earlier this morning, I turned to the new single by seminal classic/alt rock band My Morning Jacket. Genre music fans are anticipating the band’s new release coming in a few months, but the lead single is out, “Time Waited”. The song released over night and greeted music fans as they woke this morning. I have listened to it thirteen times so far today. Here are the opening lyrics:
“Well they say time waits for no one dear
And it takes near death to show one yeah
But time waited… for you and me”1
The song is a beautiful foray into the depths of the unstoppable clock of time, and how it seems to just speed up. Below are links to the tune on Apple Music and Spotify, and it took me just a few seconds in to my first listen to recognize that familar friend of recent days: Serendipity.
There are other songs about the little time we have with the one we love. I think of Jason Isbell’s “If We Were Vampires”. And, they are all true. There is no aching more powerful than knowing that time will come up for each and everyone of us. I certainly don’t want to be alone, and I cannot imagine my world without Shannon. I am thankful that time waited for us.
I say it often, but hold the one, or ones, you love. In the word’s of My Morning Jacket:
”And if we don’t watch out
Yeah and if we don’t watch out
Time will run off on us”2
“Time Waited” My Morning Jacket:
APPLE MUSIC LINK
SPOTIFY LINK
Patent 2025 ATO Records, LLC All Rights Reserved.
Patent 2025 ATO Records, LLC All Rights Reserved.
Scott, what a beautiful TRUE story. Happy anniversary and many more years of love