The Romantic.com

My wife of 3 months and I are one of many on-line success stories.

Mia and I had participated in online matchmaking services for several months. While we each met interesting people, none of our new friends had the special qualities that set them apart as potential mates.

On December 31, 2002 I responded to Mia’s ad on Yahoo Personals. She replied on January 1, 2003. What started that day as email exchanges became several hours of phone conversation. We later discovered that we’d each been exclusively watching the others’ ad for the past two weeks, hoping the other would make the first move. I’m so glad I did! Each January 1 now ushers in a new year of our wonderful relationship.

Our first year together was both exhilarating and turbulent. Strong as our love for each other was, our togetherness was pelted by twinges of doubt about whether we could continue long-term.

In early 2004 things began to come together. Barriers to our future began to dissolve. I knew it was time to ask Mia to be my wife, and I knew that she and our relationship were so valuable that nothing but the best proposal I could offer would do.

Planning began months before. Mia’s 40^th Birthday was coming in April and I knew I wanted to propose to her then. I wrote a song entitled Final New Year’s Resolution** which traced our history together. The lyrics ended with the words “will you marry me.” I arranged for her closest friends and family members to attend a surprise party at a busy piano bar in nearby Cleveland. I contacted the club’s pianists and got permission to play their piano and sing to Mia. And I arranged for Mia’s sister to digitally record the entire event.

The whole evening went perfectly. After we ate dinner, she unknowingly suggested we visit the piano bar where I had already made the arrangements! We walked in and she was pleasantly shocked that her friends and family were there. While we enjoyed her birthday party, I was called up on stage. She had no idea what was going on. I sat down and played and, near the end of the song her friend told her to walk up to the stage. Mia stood beside me in tears as I sang the closing line.

She said yes! We were married a few months later — October 2, 2004. She is my best friend, the object of my passion, my forever-girlfriend, mo anam cara.

Final New Year’s Resolution

You sat alone one night and you

felt things weren’t going right and you

wondered how your life had gone this way…

Shallow men who never really cared; you kept

walking fast but getting no where, and the

emptiness grew stronger every day.

Since the day my world fell apart, I’d built

flimsy walls around my heart. But I’m

built to love. I just couldn’t hold it in.

The thought of being back on the scene felt like

wearing plain clothes on Halloween, ’cause I

vowed I’d never masquerade again.

In different cities and in different lives,

we both chose to give it just another try

on that first of January when we looked online.

We made a final New Year’s Resolution

that God would guide our love life’s evolution.

And now there isn’t any more confusion

since our two hearts met. Resolution kept.

We’ve faced a lot of challenges since then.

Hasn’t been an easy dream to maintain,

But we’ve proved that our love can survive just about anything.

‘Cause whenever fate tried to deal us a blow,

cupid shot another arrow

and the angels in Heaven joined to sing.

In different cities and in different lives,

we both chose to give it just another try

on that first of January when we looked online.

We made a final New Year’s Resolution

that God would guide our love life’s evolution.

And now there isn’t any more confusion

since our two hearts met. Resolution kept.

Now there’s something that I’ve got to ask you,

Hoping that I’m not moving too fast for you.

You said you love me, your heart is mine.

Can I wrap my arms around you tight?

Can I hold you every morning and night?

Will you stay with me until the end of my life?

For the rest of our lives will you never leave me?

When I say that I love you will you always believe me?

What I’m asking you is, will you be my wife?

We made a final New Year’s Resolution

That God would guide our love life’s evolution

And now there isn’t any more confusion…

I want to make plain,

So I’ll ask you once again,

Will you marry me?

COPYRIGHT 2004 BY J.B. BRYANT. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED