I grew up in National City -- my parents bought our house in 1952, so I've watched this neighborhood and town grow and change through the years, and had gotten to know a lot of the kids that lived here. Walter grew up here, too -- in fact, less than two miles from me -- but I never met him until the Fall of 2013. Walter had purchased a house two doors down from me and was working in his front yard one day when I passed by while walking my dog. We were smitten with each other from the very beginning. But our relationship took time as we developed from being neighbors to becoming good friends and then finally blossoming into a couple. The funny part is how we grew up circling around each other and had never met. We went to different schools, but two boys in my elementary school class were his best friends; I knew more people at his 50th high school reunion than he did; we attended Mass at the same church; and as a box boy at Food Basket, who knows how many times he bagged my mother's groceries! It took a long time, but our stars finally lined up. It just feels like it was meant to be, and we are so happy and grateful to have this wonderful and loving relationship at this stage in our lives.