Lessons from Lori

It was a tough point in my life.

I had just moved back east from my love Colorado. In many ways I was forced to make the move. I was 25 years old with a master’s degree living with my dad and painting houses just like I did when I was 18. I was very single and the prospects just weren’t there. As was normal in my life I had been in a period of low self esteem and dating was difficult to say the least. Let’s just say it had been a while.

Then I met Lori.

It was a local 5k trail run on a Wednesday night. I won the race and Lori was the top female. We talked a little after the race and hit it off tremendously. There was an obvious connection. We did a little cool down run and planned to go out that evening.

As it turned out she was a little older than I was. She was nice and pretty and had a great job. She was a really great girl. She was unavailable to me because she living in Michigan and I lived in Massachusetts but that was OK. I let the connection guide my heart. We went out and had a great time.

We saw the sunset. We had food. We ate ice cream. We laughed. We held hands. We kissed. It was a remarkable and fun evening.

The next day she flew away out of my life.

For a while we exchanged letters. I found out that she ran 2:50 for the marathon and qualified for the Olympic trials. (Drat! She is faster than me!) We lost touch after a few months and I never heard from her again.

I would be married and have a son within 2 years.

The point wasn’t the fling. The point was the lesson that I learned from Lori.

This was a low point in my life. She lifted me up. She taught me a lesson that I have carried with me all these years. The lesson is this: I am worthy.

I can meet a nice girl and say hello. We can talk and flirt and hug and kiss and see what happens. There are good girls out there. If I follow my heart and keep my eyes open they are there. I see this clearly all these years later. I remember the lesson that Lori taught me. I can meet a girl that I really like and that likes me! It may not be forever and the timing may not be right but there are women out there for me.

I am worthy. I am a good guy and a good catch. Just because I feel down about myself doesn’t mean that is the truth. I learned this lesson from Lori many years ago and I am reminded of it now; today.

Sometimes people come into your lives for specific reasons. Lori did that for me 12 years ago.

Today I am at a low point again. Lessons learned are committed to memory. Sometimes all we need is someone else to come into our lives to remind us of the lesson…

Sometimes what we need is right in front of our face….