"Anniversary" doesn't begin to express its importance

Nine years ago November 29, I went on a blind date, arranged by the woman who had been my Mentor as a BDSM practitioner. She had become quite the Mentor in the Ohio/Midwest community, and seemed to know everyone. She knew my life-transition had moved me to
Cincinnati and that there was this wonderful woman, Teresa, who lived near there, and that she had never been appreciated as she should have been as a lover.



We connected first via email and the phone, and set up this date November 29, 1998 at the Middletown, Ohio Olive Garden restaurant. It was the Sunday of Thanksgiving weekend 1998. I met her and we began a conversation that never ended (I'm a talker, which was what our "broker"had warned her).



We became one. March 20, 1999 she became my collared submissive at a commuinity gathering at Black Rose. In February, 2000 she almost died. She had the evil immune to antibiotics bacterial infection MRSA, that has gained so much press coverage in the last 6 months, way before it was "Kewl." After 6 months off work (for her) and home based care (where I became skilled at adminisatering IV's and changing infected wound packings) she survived!!!!! I'd been told she had less than 10% probability of survival and we got through it.



In the midst of it the staff of the agency I directed, contacted me and said they had studied on line T's diagnoses, and they requested my calendar. They took over every appointment and responsibility they could to let me deal with t's illness. I've loved them all as people who have shared the mission of my agency, and who would go beyond what is expected of them to support a co-worker, even their boss.

The following year, having lived together for a couple of years, we married.

She saved my life during my transition from being a very invovled "super-dad" to a noncustodial parent due to the end of my first marriage. I discovered new self-worth and value to my life through her love and joyous approach to our lives.

She gave me the gift of her love for me. She gave me her companionship and tremendous friendship. She gives me those gifts everyday today.

She gave me another gift that is greater still. I recently was reading a discussion about polyamory that lead me to realize a new twist to defining polyamory. Polyamory is when a love partner treats his or her partner's new love as a joyous gift, and not as a threat to their relationship. When my love for swan evolved she accepted it, embraced it, and joined with swan as her sister in loving me. How she found the strength, maturity, empathy, and generosity of spirit to embrace sue's and my love and use it to make ours stronger, is a mystery that amazes and humbles me, and makes me more and more grateful every day.

This is so much more than the ninth anniversary of our meeting. It is in so many ways a new birthday for me. It is the birthday of my new life which has been the ultimate of my existance.

I love you teresa.........mores & mores.

Tom

Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you've imagined.