We're Getting Married!

I met you in passing, and you caught my eye. From the first word out of your mouth, I could tell we were two opposite sides of the same coin. It felt like exploring somewhere new, yet with the comforting déjà vu of being home. We parted ways after a few months, our time seemingly up, but instead of saying goodbye, we exchanged a promise to see each other again. It’s funny how life works. Just a few months after we parted, life brought us back together, and I got to see a new side of you as you saw mine. Three months later, I ended up moving, and our two worlds merged. We traveled the world, explored new cities, and embraced different cultures. In the blink of an eye, three years flew by. Life moved so fast I forgot when it happened; I forgot that we once lived in different timelines that happened to intersect when one of us swiped right, and the other replied with “hi.” Since then, we’ve played many roles: best friends, lovers, roommates, and even homeowners. Now I know it was never just “in passing”—you were the one I was heading toward all along, waiting for me at the end.

It all started with an innocent message on Bumble. We exchanged our first hellos, and the conversations flowed effortlessly, feeling so genuine and natural. After a few weeks of chatting, we finally decided to go on a date. I vividly remember the first time I saw Claude; I thought he was incredibly handsome and admired his sense of style. Hearing his voice for the first time was nerve-wracking. The whole experience was so fun. We headed inside McCray’s in downtown Lawrenceville and began exchanging basic questions, trying to get to know each other. I was fascinated by his ideas and perspectives on life. It was almost amusing at times how different we were. We ended the evening strolling around the square. It was a beautiful moment. In my mind, I felt like it would be a great friendship only because of our drastic differences, but I quickly realized that those differences would be what made our future relationship so special. A few weeks later, he invited me to go hiking with him, and I agreed. It was such an enlightening experience, revealing who he was as a person. From that day on, I became enamored with the beautiful soul that I now get to share my life with. Since that day, we shared nearly every moment we could with each other until it was time for him to return to Miami. We continued to talk every day and grew closer, even though we were in two different states. Claude soon graduated with his doctorate and received a job offer in Atlanta. He took a chance, and now here we are, happily engaged with a promising future ahead of us. Our relationship has been the most beautiful experience I have ever lived through. This relationship is honestly the greatest blessing in my life, and I am beyond grateful for that first hello on Bumble.