I have been alone much of my life. I am a natural loner. Perhaps that is why I never dated. I always blamed my “not dating” on my parent’s behavior. But maybe it was just me, and their behavior assisted me in becoming who I was meant to be. Surely my first marriage one of extraordinary abuse left me terribly alone. Then after my divorce I chose to be celibate for 5 years, a spiritual decision. At 28 as a woman of the 60s that was not only unusual it was damned near insane. I was very lucky throughout this period for guys actually took no for an answer and befriended me. Then I met a man to whom I was NOT attracted! And I might add he was definitely NOT attracted to me at all. We became the very best of friends over a period of two years, eventually seeing each other every day and every night just as friends. He too was a bit of a loner. We have now been married nearly 31 years after a two year friendship and a 3 month dating period and living together for 2 years.
neath the waterfall
a lone wet moth surviving
one’s lifes path fulfilled
Loving placed at dVerse
noh where 
Wow, we share some common elements in our stories. THanks for sharing yours.
Thx Susan, it was fun connecting last nite and always cool to run into another with like qualities. Loved what you said about “living ones faith.”
Thank you, Liz. And they did. I guess I do too.
Beautiful.. sometimes you find love in your best friends.. A lovely haibun! 🙂
howanxious how nice to make your acquaintance. You writ excellent haiku plus I enjoyed hearing you speak of yourself.
I’m glad to know that.. thanks so much. have a good day! 🙂
Liz, this is a charming story, just lovely post. Nicely done.
Thanks my friend. This was a really fun prompt.
🙂
A wonderful visit here catching up with you, Liz. Thanks for all the good shares and photographs … and, again, loving your peaceful blues.
Thanks Jamie.
smiles…what a lovely love story.. we have a song in germany which goes: touched a 1000 times and a 1000 times nothing happens…a story of two good friends and suddenly there was this one touch, that changed everything.. i think it’s cool if a friendship develops like this into love.. it most certainly has a stable fundament
Claudia … It really was just like the German saying. 😉
What a really beautiful story from your life 😊
Thx Rowan. I appreciate meeting you.
You are an extraordinary woman, not surprised by your path in part because our lives weave one one another in so many ways. the biggest exception is that am not a loner but I crazy in love with one and it was years after divorces and babies and foolishness and we, too, were not looking especially at each other.
I hope we enjoy 31 years like you. Thanks for showing me it’s possible.
LaTonya, I have an extreme appreciation for meeting you. LaTonya, my sister. But now I cannot find your blog. Hugs sis.
nice…the years celibate as a spiritual decision…in the 60sw…wow…def a very cool commitment and i like that you put friends first in the second…that is so important…i think we can be blinded to the imprtance of the relationship over other things…that was wise…very cool love story smiles.
Brian when I came out of my first marriage I needed 30 years of counseling. Literally. I came home from the mental health ward with a bottle of Amytriptiline (sp?), saw that it cost $18. I was making $1.60 an hour and concluded that I would never be able to afford the drug. So into the toilet the drug went. I had just met God and basically God said to me: “OK Liz, you have never had any fun in life. Go have some. I did for 2 years. Then God said: You want to be happy in life? You need to get fixed and there is a lot of work to do. Sooooooo, you will be celibate for 5 years. This will give you the tools that you need to become a well adjusted and happy and content and appealing woman. I said OK. The first year was not fun. After that man did I learn. Hugs kiddo. Thx.
Heartwarming, Liz… I think strong, lasting marriages are those whose partners started out as just friends.
Laurie, thx so very much. And regarding a good marriage – I agree wholeheartedly with you. And anything worth having is worth the hard work it takes to achieve it.
A relationship grounded in friendship and beginning at its own pace, I think, is the best kind; and it is obvious, through the longevity of your relationship, that it worked!
On another note, I had a hard time reading your comments today. Black on dark gray didn’t work for me. I had to highlight each comment to lighten it in order to read it. Hard.
Mary, needless to say we agree 100%. Oh, I changed my colors up so it is easier to read – thanks for the heads-up!
Friendship is at the core of all relationships that lasts. A lovely story. that made me warm inside .. Thank you for sharing.
Thank you Bjorn very much.
The very best way to build a relationship. So often when mutual attraction fades with time there is nothing else left in common.
You do speak TRUTH Tigerbrite! I consider myself dearly lucky to have married my best friend.
love the story here, its philosophy and honesty, its surprise turn… a beautiful write
Thank you Ruth!
very touching write – an amazing haibun.
Thank you Miriam.
…a natural telling Liz… i always love & enjoy diving into your life… i have always classified myself as a loner too…. for some crazy reasons i feel more happiness when i ‘m alone rather than when in group… but i do love to hang out with friends…. i remember, i even have imaginary friends when i was younger… they’re all gone now….loved this & your haiku closes it perfectly… smiles…
I LOVE your comment Kelvin. I bet that your imaginary friends are still there … you just no longer see them. Yes, I love to be alone too. When I was a young adult however, being alone was a problem. Thanks.