The song above and more by Etta James is available at 20th Century Masters: The Best Of Etta James (Millennium Collection)
Check out the link above to hear a performance of the song that epitomizes my feelings about a very special woman in my life.
It was November 27, 2008 which was also known as Thanksgiving. In the afternoon I spent a lovely time having Thanksgiving dinner with my parents, sister, and my wonderful and precocious daughter Hannah who was 4 at the time. The day was especially enjoyable because I got to spend it with Hannah. Later on in the day I returned her to her mother for their Thanksgiving dinner. I didn't have a plan for the rest of the evening so I signed onto my computer to play a game at that time called Scrabulous. This night it was not just a few games I would play, but games that would change my life.
Scrabulous was a game based on Scrabble that eventually changed its name and format to Lexulous to avoid problems with the owners of Scrabble. Thousands of people play the game by going into various rooms and challenging or being challenged by other players to a game. At some point I ended up playing a woman with the moniker winniethetrue. Now, when I began this game I had no idea if she was an 85 year old great grandma from New Zealand or a lovely 39 year old Filipina woman from Eagle Rock whose only downfall is that she graduated from USC. I play the game because I enjoy the challenge and am pretty good at it. However, being single at the time I was always open to the unlikely chance I would find a date let alone love. You see this game was created by two guys from India and many of the players were from around the world. Previously I had flirted occasionally, but the only time there was a connection the woman lived in Pittsburgh assuming she was a woman.
After playing various games and flirting a bit, we decided to talk on the phone. Following multiple conversations in which we clearly had a connection, we decided to meet. I know there are horror stories out there about people meeting off the internet, but my feeling on that is as long as you meet somewhere in public like a restaurant then you are pretty safe.
Our meeting was very nice and both of us found the other attractive, but neither of us had any idea if this was going to be just one date, a few dates, or much more. I am glad to say it has become much more. I started this post with the song At Last by Etta James not just because it is an amazingly sung song which gives me chills, but because it is so fitting.
"At last, my love has come along
My lonely days are over
And life is like a song"
Two months and four days after our first conversation we became boyfriend and girlfriend and my lonely days are truly over. If I knew that when was about to turn 40 I would meet the love of my life, it would have seemed so far away, but if I could feel the love and acceptance I have now I would have had no problem with waiting. This is a lesson I will pass on to my daughter which is to say that it is best to be open for the right person to come along and not put a time frame on it happening. I spent most my life rushing around to find the right person or the person who was best "right now", but little did I know my perfect match lived only 40 miles away and was at the right game at the right time. I never believed things happened for a reason, but I can't deny that any more. As Etta James sings it so well
"And here we are in heaven
For you are mine
At last"
I love you Wenona.
That's so special. I agree that things definitely seem to happen for a reason, at the right moment....I met my husband at the gym, I would have told you that I was looking for 'something fun', but when we met I absolutely KNEW we would be together, and that I'd have his child...and I had previously never wanted children. Needless to say, I was a bit freaked out!!!!
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