This is the first in a series of blogs that will address how I have dealt with meeting woman and then possibly dating. As can be seen on my website, I was diagnosed with depression in March of 2003. A few days later, I had a mental breakdown. I would spend months in bed and years self confined to the house.
Needles to say, the idea let alone the possibility of dating wasn’t in my head.
But ones life does unfold. I was offered a position with the Canadian Mental Health Association in the summer of 2011. I hadn’t worked in 8 years so it was certainly a daunting time.
CMHA holds an annual fundraiser, Women and Wellness. It is a women only event with a guest speaker and silent auction. I made it a point that I would be allowed to attend. My first year, I was asked to invite Jessie Close to speak. Jess and Snitz , her service dog, were kind enough to accept. I spent a wonderful few days with them. We laughed and cried as we shared stories of our journeys through mental illness.
Now, back to the topic….but we needed the back story!
Through the Women and Wellness evening, I noticed a woman. This was a first since 2003. I even met her. Meagan was very sweet and we chatted a bit. That was the extent of it.
Skipping ahead one year, to the following Women and Wellness event. My role that night was to greet everyone as they entered the venue.
Almost the last person to walk in was Meagan. I welcomed her and we talked briefly. The silent auction was busy. When it was time for the guest speaker to start, Meagan and I happened to be together. She said lets get seats to see the speaker. Off we went!
I sat beside this woman who I had met a year ago, who I was fortunate to meet again, who asked me to join her for the guest speaker. I said nothing to her. I was completely lost for words. There was a time, I could talk to a woman. I had dated, a lot, perhaps too much. Here I sat, as if I was 17 again! A small success, maybe, but being able to talk to a woman again was a great personal triumph.
I tried to find her since to no avail.