Love story No. 3: love doesn't have to be difficult

Love story No. 3: love doesn't have to be difficult

2/13/12

Romance on a staircase brought to you by Clueless

I was in a rut when I first started hanging out with Ben.

I had no job, no money, and really no plans at all at that point in my life. Dating seemed impossible since I tended to fall for guys I could never really be with (read: my gay-dar is a little shotty). 

But Ben was different. 

He listened, understood, and was persistent. I remember the first time we went out together, how it had been the first time in a long time that a guy had taken me out on an actual date. It was refreshing. I talked most of the time as he sat and listened. Ben was a very quiet, shy guy upon first impression, and it balanced out my much more dominant personality quite nicely. 

He thought I was funny, and I liked that. 

Ben wasn't at all what I had been used to: he was nice, decent, and a little unsure of himself. You could tell right away that he had been put into the “friend zone" more than once before, and I could have easily placed him there too. But a part of me was intrigued, and wanted to know more. 

I was under the false impression that falling in love was hard work. That tears and deep emotions were included, and if they weren't, something was very wrong. But with Ben, there were never any tears. He made it really easy for me to fall in love with him. He simply adored me, and that's all I have ever needed: to be loved. 

Ben made me realize that a relationship didn't have to be rocky for it to be real. Does that make sense? It made perfect sense to someone who only knew instability. Our love wasn't passionate or filled with deep emotions; it was gradual and smooth and free of stress. I never had to pretend to be someone else, or change who I really am. Ben made me believe that I was loveable...

Just the way I am. 

It's been over a year now since we were married, and I am so very thankful that the nice guy finally won in the end. 

(Because he deserves it.)

-Sara Smart-Toone; Lethbridge, Alberta.