My Notebook
I’ll warn you right not, if you are reading my blog to hear
about weightlifting, athletic performance, or coaching, this is a blog that I
would skip. I’m writing this one for my children to read years down the road
when I am dead and gone. I witnessed my wife’s famous art professor David
Faber’s art opening over nine years ago. Besides being amazed by his work, it
was his words that left me with a lasting impression. He talked about art
and/or writing as a duty that all adults should practice. Whether you enjoy
writing or producing art, it’s your way of telling your story to your children
and your children’s children. I wish that I could read the writings of my
father, or gaze upon his art. It would be a way of communicating with him from
the grave.
I want my family to know my thoughts long after I am gone. I
want them to know my thoughts on God, family, and the way that I love their
mother. In this blog, I am going to talk about that love. I am on my way to
Turkmenistan for the Weightlifting World Championships. During my flight from
Washington D.C. to Istanbul, Turkey, I watched the movie, “The Notebook” by
Nicholas Sparks. Besides being my favorite love story, it’s a big part of the
love affair history between my wife and me. As a matter of fact, our love
affair was very similar to the story.
I met Emily Drew Taylor in the fall of 2006. At the time, I
was freshly out of a relationship, and she was in one. I was at the pinnacle of
my powerlifting career, and I was training to make a run at bobsledding. I was
in a phase of my life where I thought that I had to prove something. I felt
that I had to prove my worth as a person. God was just beginning to work on my
soul, but I had a ways to go. My entire life was in chaos.
One day I was at my home gym, Gym 365 in Mocksville, NC.
Then all of a sudden, she walked in to start working out. She was this
beautiful Wake Forest Art Student with the cutest nose ring. At first we were
just flirting a bit, but I didn’t think much of it. Then one day my whole world
was flipped upside down.
I was driving home with my friend from consulting with UNC
Football Strength and Conditioning. Then out of the blue she calls my friend
and asks him to bring me out to downtown Greensboro, NC. It was St. Patrick’s
Day, and she was hanging out at Natty Greene’s. I didn’t even want to go, but
finally I caved in. For some reason, I was drawn to her right away. We started
talking and having a drink together, and then it happened. I got lost in her
eternal brown eyes, and the next thing you know, I kissed her. The moment I
kissed her nothing else in the world mattered. For the first and only time in
my life, my entire heart and soul belonged to her. It wasn’t love at first
sight, but it was love at first kiss.
I wish that I could say that it was smooth sailing from the
moment I kissed her, but that would be a lie. I had a couple things going
against me, and that was she was 12-years younger than me, and she had a
boyfriend. There was nothing that I could do about the age. She was the first
girl that I’ve ever dated that was younger than me. Heck she flirted with me
for about a month while she was home for Christmas break, but I laughed it off
as some college girl messing around. I definitely wasn’t looking for a younger
girl.
As far as the other guy, well to tell you the truth, I
didn’t really care. She didn’t have a ring on her finger, so that was his loss.
He should have closed the deal sooner. The two obstacles were definitely hard
to overcome, but I was set on this lady. Guys I was in love for the first time
in my life. I couldn’t think about anything else. It was crazy really because I
had lived such a selfish life up to this point.
Throughout this time we started talking and seeing each
other in secret. I longed for anytime that I could get with her. Then God threw
another wrench in things. I moved to Chicago for a new job. Things got really
tough at this point, but I never lost hope. Looking back, any sane man would
have given up on this relationship. Think about it:
- · She was 12-years younger
- · She had a boyfriend
- · Now she as a thousand miles away
Now how often does a long distance relationship last under
normal circumstances? It wasn’t without
challenges. She would break up with me almost every other day. Finally, one
weekend I visited her in North Carolina, and as I was leaving back to Chicago,
I gave her the movie “The Notebook”. I told her to watch the movie. If she
still wanted to break up after watching the movie, then I would respect her
wishes.
In the movie, the girl comes from money and is high class,
and the boy is a simple sawmill worker. Emily Drew went to Wake Forest
University and studied art. Her Grandmother studied at Juilliard, and her
parents were both educated. I come from the mountains of North Carolina, and
was one of just a very few that went on to college. We were definitely from two
sides of the tracks. Also in the movie, she has a fiancé’ because her mother
had manipulated her into staying away from her true love Noah.
At one point in the movie, Noah says, “Are we back to that
again?” He’s referring to his love, Allie, when she is leaving because she
can’t decide between Noah and this other guy. It was clear that she was in love
with Noah, but for social reasons she was uncertain. This is where Emily Drew
and I had come to in our relationship. I actually said those words to her, “Are
we back to that again?”
Obviously Noah won the girl, and so did I. It was hard
fought, but it was so worth it. I would do it all over again. One more thing
shocked me this time watching the movie. Noah and Allie met on June 6th,
1940. I married the love of my life June 6th, 2009. I had never
noticed that similarity until this time.
There’s not a night that goes by that I don’t find myself
looking at Emily Drew as she sleeps and thanking God for this amazing woman in
my life. I sit there and listen to her breathe, and I make sure to appreciate the very moment that God is granting for me to gaze upon my love. Still to this day 9 and ½ years later, my heart speeds up every time
that she enters the room. When I leave her for these long trips, my heart
breaks when I leave. Right now I am sitting in my bed finishing this blog
because she is all that I can think about it.
I pray that my boys will wait on a woman that does this to
them. I pray that my girls will wait on a man that loves them like I love my
wife. Here’s the key though. When I married her, I agreed to love her like
Christ intended for a man to love a woman. I love her like Christ loves the
church. I am in no way a perfect man, but I got this one right. I love her, and
I respect every word that comes out of her mouth. When you get married with
these intentions, I am convinced that God makes it easier.
This next part is mainly for my wife. Emily Drew, I love you
more today than yesterday. No one has ever melted my heart like you do each and
every day. I hope that you will join me in a prayer that our children will find
the same love. You are my partner in this life. You and no one else! If you’re
a bird, I’m a bird. I look forward to holding you throughout eternity, as we
worship our Creator together.
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