You're Invited!

Nick's Perspective: It was April 2020 and the pandemic had just begun to ruin the night life of millions. I saw the profile of Shruti online and thought, "Who is this woman with such a beautiful smile?" To my surprise, we were having long conversations on the phone within days. I don't think either of us really knew what we were in for. She would listen to me yammer on about history, politics, culture, and whatever random Jeopardy-worthy information was in my head that day. She would tell me about the determination and perseverance that had brought her from the bustling city of Mumbai to the dusty streets of Fort Worth to pursue her dreams. We were fast friends, but neither of us were thinking of romance at the time. Over the course of several months of talking on the phone while hunkering down in our respective apartments, we learned more and more about our respective pasts, present circumstances, and future aspirations. Speaking to Shruti was like having a cup of tea while listening to my favorite band. We began to click in special and unexpected ways. Although we had been talking for months, our first meeting was actually on her birthday in July. We walked down 7th street with our masks on while awkwardly talking about the weather and the fact that her friend was mailing her a cheesecake. We ordered the obligatory latte from a local coffee shop and sat down to remove our masks. That's the moment it hit me: Shruti peeled back her covering I saw her lovely face for the first time. I felt a soothing rush of tranquility born from a sense of anticipation I did not even know I had. I knew I needed to spend more time with this woman. We continued to remain friends, but began meeting in person more often. By the Fall, we were going on adventures and exploring the area together. We both acted as if spending time together was mostly just a welcome respite from our busy professional lives, but I think we both knew that the potential was building for something more. The day after Christmas, I invited Shruti to join me on a trip to Grand Prairie to see the Prairie Lights and off we went. As we waited for our chance to see flashy Christmas decorations in their electric glory, I looked over at her and thought to myself, "What are you doing? Seize this moment!" Without having thought about it earlier that day or planning anything, I told her that I really wanted to see where a relationship with her might go. To my relief, she responded that she felt the same way. Our relationship has been taking us in amazing and profoundly meaningful directions ever since.

Shruti's Perspective: The pandemic had twisted the lives of everyone. The world had halted, but for PhD students like me, the graduate clock was still ticking. Lack of productivity was piling up more pressure. Getting to know Nick was a pleasant respite from all the worries and stress. I am a person of few words, but conversing with Nick was a smooth ride. Sometimes we talked for hours discussing a plethora of history, politics, economics, science and cultures of the world. Even though I am in love with science, other topics are pretty dry to me. But, I was simply impressed by the mastery he had and his excitement to shared it. His curiosity for more knowledge was compelling. His genuineness and sincerity is very comforting. A guileless innocence always reflects on his face. When I met him for the first time in person, I admired his simplicity and candid nature. It was nice to have an ingenuous friend like Nick. Even so, the more I got to know him, my mind wandered and imagined a different possibility. I surprised myself with the desire of meeting him more often, and the sense of happiness and contentment that came along with it. So, on the day after Christmas when he proposed the potential to take our relationship forward, I couldn’t say no. It has been a wonderful journey since then. We can’t wait to celebrate our special day with our dearest friends and family.