HOLDING HANDS

It's January 1, 2023.

23 years ago today, I woke up believing I had finally met the girl I was meant to marry. 

Melissa was my blind date on the New Year's Eve when the world waited in dreadful anticipation for the impact of Y2K.

(Do you remember the fear and hysteria? Planes were - possibly - going to drop out of the sky at midnight due to computer malfunctions! It's a good reminder that "fake news" and media-generated anxiety are nothing new.)

The event that evening was a church gathering at a local athletic club. Melissa and I sat talking for several hours on a couch in a lounge area. 

We were still there when all the other church people gathered at midnight to pray. We circled up and linked hands with those standing next to us.

And that prayer gave me a perfect excuse to hold this beautiful girl's hand for the first time.