Day 15

Day 15...

Every day is special. Some days are more special than others. Today is special. But not as special for me as it is for my dear friend Brandi. Something special is happening for her today.

She's acting on love. She's taking the final step forward in her relationship with Charles. They're getting married today. They are ALL IN.

One of the things people liked about my previous writing was some of the things I've written about being ALL IN. I've discussed it at length on my Facebook page. It's not just something I say, it truly is how I live my life. It's the only way I know how.

Having faced the fires that God thought I could put out (I'm glad HE has faith in me, I have certainly doubted myself), I can stand today because I was always ALL IN. I've never been able to do things halfway, no such thing as half-measures, 50%, "good enough". If you want the desired result, you have to put in the required effort.

Loving someone is actually pretty easy. You just have to let it happen. You can't pre-judge them. You can't compare them to anyone else: it's not fair to them or to you. You have to allow them to show you the full potential you can reach together, without pain from the past coloring the future. All you have to do is be ALL IN. I can say it's easy because I've done it. More than once. Hopefully again. Loving someone is easy. There, I said it again.

I've watched my friend Brandi grow up, albeit from a distance. I've known her nearly 10 years, but we've never met. I've seen her grow from a young woman who was starting her first real job, having her first serious relationship. I've watched her through the loss of loved ones and worldly possessions, watched her dust herself off after that relationship was over. I've been there when she cried, when she laughed, and when she found love. I saw her open herself to new people and things, and smiled to myself as I read her Facebook posts along the way. The whole time, I knew she was ALL IN.

Earlier this year, she picked herself up from a life-changing event, wiped off her knees and started over. Never expecting to be where she ended up, but she's not a quitter. Then along came this person from her past, a soldier that found his way back into her life, and into her heart. I don't know him either, but he has to be an awesome guy to have found her and made it work. I guess he never stopped looking.

No one ever knows what the future will bring, so the step they take today only start them on the path of a life together. They'll make it work. They did the most difficult part already: finding each other. Remember, loving someone is easy. Finding the one you're supposed to love, that's what's hard.

Lesson Fifteen: I wrote a blog post a few weeks ago about "It's Only Words".... I'm still not sure if my message from it was received, but I'm still optimistic. In my effort to be ALL IN, I did exactly what I meant to do: I laid bare my soul, I opened my life, I gave my best. One can ever only hope that's enough. Have YOU done enough? Are you ALL IN?

Congratulations, Brandi and Charles. I'll wish you lots of luck and much happiness, you already have the love you need to start your journey.

715 to go...