This picture doesn't look like much but this is the night that changed my life. First, a little history. I had been single for a few years after a long relationship and my parents were constantly worried that I would end up alone. Maybe I was naive but I wasn't worried. Instead of wasting energy worrying, I decided to hang out with friends, travel, play ultimate frisbee, and just do all the things I wanted to do. You know, really take advantage of being single! I also decided to take a trip somewhere once a month. I originally set out to do it for a year but I ended up traveling for 3 years straight!
My friend Daniela joined me on one of my trips, this time to Boston. I always try to go Lindy Hopping whenever I travel but wasn't able to find a swing dance venue that weekend. Instead, Sweet Molasses Blues was taking place. Ugh, blues, I thought.
I had been Lindy Hopping for 11 years and I never wanted to try blues dancing. I always thought of Lindy Hop as a happy bouncy PG dance and blues as some slow R-rated intimate dance you did after hours with the lights way down low. Not for me.
But since there was no dance alternative that weekend in Boston, I finally (and reluctantly) decided to try blues dancing. I took a bus to the venue and immediately met Lisa, a sweet woman who introduced me to a few blues dancers. I only planned to dip my toe into the blues pool but that night I ended up jumping in. I was so wrong about blues! I had an amazing time filled with memorable dances and vowed to keep blues dancing once I returned to San Francisco.
I found Shades of Blues, a weekly blues dancing venue in the Mission and was welcomed to the SF blues scene by the venue's organizer Ruth Evelyn and a friendly community.
One night while I was dancing at Shades, I happened to glance across the floor and caught a glimpse of Michael's profile. I had no idea who he was but I immediately felt a sense of calm settle over me. He was the one. It was a really strange feeling. Like realizing something that was obvious. During the dance I thought to myself - Okay, I know who I'll end up with. Now I just have to wait and see when that'll be. Crazy, I know, but that's exactly what happened.
We got married 3 years later.
Moral of the story: be open to new possibilities because you never know where (or to whom) they will lead.
TL;DR: tried a new dance and ended up meeting the man I would marry.
And this is how he proposed. 😀
My friend Daniela joined me on one of my trips, this time to Boston. I always try to go Lindy Hopping whenever I travel but wasn't able to find a swing dance venue that weekend. Instead, Sweet Molasses Blues was taking place. Ugh, blues, I thought.
I had been Lindy Hopping for 11 years and I never wanted to try blues dancing. I always thought of Lindy Hop as a happy bouncy PG dance and blues as some slow R-rated intimate dance you did after hours with the lights way down low. Not for me.
But since there was no dance alternative that weekend in Boston, I finally (and reluctantly) decided to try blues dancing. I took a bus to the venue and immediately met Lisa, a sweet woman who introduced me to a few blues dancers. I only planned to dip my toe into the blues pool but that night I ended up jumping in. I was so wrong about blues! I had an amazing time filled with memorable dances and vowed to keep blues dancing once I returned to San Francisco.
I found Shades of Blues, a weekly blues dancing venue in the Mission and was welcomed to the SF blues scene by the venue's organizer Ruth Evelyn and a friendly community.
One night while I was dancing at Shades, I happened to glance across the floor and caught a glimpse of Michael's profile. I had no idea who he was but I immediately felt a sense of calm settle over me. He was the one. It was a really strange feeling. Like realizing something that was obvious. During the dance I thought to myself - Okay, I know who I'll end up with. Now I just have to wait and see when that'll be. Crazy, I know, but that's exactly what happened.
We got married 3 years later.
Moral of the story: be open to new possibilities because you never know where (or to whom) they will lead.
TL;DR: tried a new dance and ended up meeting the man I would marry.
And this is how he proposed. 😀
