Love Like a Freight Train

When I was 18, I met a boy.
We went on a date.
We fell headlong into love.
We got married at 19.
Love hit us like a freight train.
Fast and furious.
There was no middle ground.
There was no "let's be friends".
We were very much committed to each other from very early on in our relationship.

We grew to be friends much later.
By God's grace.

Sometimes I get a little envious of people who manage to be friends for a long time before they discover that they really love each other. I wonder what it feels like to slowly discover love and not be slammed into it and bowled over by it. Seems sweeter and softer. A different approach.

Why am I thinking about these things? I have a friend who is getting married in a few weeks. We are the same age and she has never been married. She is one of the most sincere, gentle women I have ever known. She's beautiful and graceful and has many friends. The man she is marrying is a true gentleman--I've known him for as long as they've been friends. They were friends for 3 years before they ever started dating. They dated for 2 years before getting enguaged. True friends. Who discovered love. Slowly. Peacefully. No trains in sight. It's been a sweet thing to watch them.

However love comes into your life--I'm convinced it's a treasure. A gift. You can unwrap it slowly and enjoy the process or rip into it with abandon, allowing the freight train to carry you away. Both are beautiful.