The Dating Years

After discussing my new-found feelings for Jim with a few friends, I decided to accept Jim's invitation to his home one night to watch a movie. We hit it off immediately, and Jim asked, "So, is this official?" It was.

And then it wasn't.

I was afraid of Jim's unwaivering commitment to me because we were still so young. Several times over the next few years I broke things off between us, despite my strong feelings for Jim. We did decide to try to hold things together during our freshmen year at college, with Jim at Syracuse University and me five hours away at Grove City College in Pennsylvania; however, the summer before our sophomore year, we broke it off one final time.

A year went by. I began dating someone at college, and our communication ceased altogether. It was a difficult year for growth and spiritual maturation for us both.

It was also a difficult year for my health. I fainted multiple times one day in college, and my migraines became more frequent. The summer before my junior year I had to get some tests run at our hospital in Jamestown. As it turned out, I couldn't find any way to get to the hospital, as everyone in my family was busy. I finally mustered up enough courage to call Jim, after so much time apart.