The Anatomy of My Not So Romantic Meet Cute

In your twenties, you'll come to find a number of your friends, classmates and acquaintance begin to settle down and get married. It can be a little weird. One minute you're in school and the next minute, they took Beyonce's advice and put a ring on it. Anyways, I'm not complaining. I love weddings! I mean, who doesn't love a party where you get all dolled up and celebrate the love between two people? I'm such a sap.

Wedding talk aside, I have to say, I really enjoy hearing about how two people met and  how they almost didn't. It almost makes you wonder if there is such a thing as fate. Do soulmates really exist? Can the meeting of two people really be kismet? 

In June, I had my own rub with fate. In a small way, I had my own meet-cute. But don't call Katherine Heigl just yet. This is no Rom-Com.

Setting
I was traveling to Portland from Orlando for my cousin's wedding. Waking up around 2:30 a.m. Thursday morning, I had packed, got myself to the airport and made it as a stand-by passenger on the first flight to Chicago. My early start had afforded me smooth sailing and about two hours to eat breakfast in O'Hare International Airport. However, my two and half hour layover morphed into five and a half hours thanks to a three hour delay. One croissant, small coffee, almond pretzel, over-priced water bottle, small bag of trail-mix and three hours later, we were finally boarding the flight to Portland. It was a four and a half our flight and I had a middle seat.

I thank the powers of God and the universe for joining together, because as soon as I reached my row, the lucky girl who had window seat had asked me if I wanted to trade seats with her friend a few rows back. Homegirl had a window seat and it didn't really take much convincing. Window seat for a four hour and a half our flight?! WIN! All that was next was for me to pull my FSU baseball hat low over my eyes and embrace the nap ahead of me, but where's the romance in that?

The Meet-Cute
Enter Tyler. We'll call him Tyler, because, well...that's his name. In he walks, excusing himself past Jerry (the 17-year-old who attends a snowboarding high school — snowboarding high schools are real) and wearing an Oregon Ducks hoodie. Without too much hesitation, I asked him if he attended the University of Oregon and conversation quickly turned to college football. With my alma mater, the Florida State University Seminoles winning the National Championship earlier this year, the topic of conversation is probably no surprise. But what surprised me was how long Tyler and I talked and what we talked about.

Thinking back, I think we pretty much touched on almost everything. We discussed and suggested books and movies, learned about jobs and places traveled, traded sibling stories and even touched on the topic of sex and joining the mile-high club (not with each other, what kind of girl do you think I am?!). It was strange and in a way, comforting. There's something about meeting someone and simply talking and trading stories. They have no idea who you are and you haven't a clue about them.

At the end of the flight, we exchanged numbers and went our separate ways.

The End of the Rom-Com, Maybe?
Now, you're probably wondering what happened. Did we meet up one day and frolic around the city, taking adorable pictures worthy of any pre-teen magazine? No. We didn't. He invited me to hang out with his friends Saturday evening, but that was my cousin's wedding day and an opportunity to catch up with my family whom I haven't seen in months. The choice was easy, but perhaps a small part of me wonders what could have happened if I snuck away for an hour and a drink.

A few members of my glam fam. 

Relationship Status
Our relationship status (and I'm not talking about Facebook "Relationship Status") is friends...ish. Perhaps we're more distant friends or simply acquaintances. We're two ships passing in the night, or maybe more like two plans passing in flight.

We've texted a bit here-and-there, but that's kind of it. It's the end of the meet-cute. The rom-com without the rom...and perhaps the com. The beginning, "middle" and abrupt end, leaving you with what-ifs and what could have been. 

Youthful Optimism
Meet-cutes are real! Rare, but real. They happen, and while you may not realize it at the time, it's great story to share with girlfriends. Yes, the what-ifs can drive you mad, but as a lover of love, this does give me a little hope...and who knows, maybe this isn't the end of the "Rom-Com." His Oregon Ducks may find themselves matched up against my Seminoles...and that would be a great next chapter to this story.

I should also add, Portland and the surround area is a really pretty place to visit.

Sincerely,

Cybill

{Photo Credit//Personal//Personal//Personal//Tyler}

The Different Ways to Say "I Love You"

Happy Valentine's Day! A holiday for the love birds, candy companies, florist and Hallmark greeting cards. But if you as me, I think it's a holiday for everyone and anyone, whether you're in love or not.

I once read there are a number of ways to say "I love you." "Text me when you get home," "Put on your seat belt," "I baked you some cookies," and "Thank you" are just a few examples that I think are right up there with "I love you." And you want to know what else? These words of affection aren't limited to those with whom you share romantic feelings. They can be for anyone and can happen anywhere.

Let's take the Olympics for example. It goes without saying, the Olympics, with all its pomp and circumstance, its triumphs and tribulations, the drama and the daring, there's always a story. A good story. A heart warming story. A story that transcends across countries and across generations. If you boil things down, you'll always notice the essence of love. Whether it's a person's love for their country, their sport or a litter of puppies, you'll see it.

US Slopestyle Skier and Olympic silver medalist, Gus Kenworthy has the power to melt the snow in the mountains of Sochi with his attempts to rescue a litter of puppies. Call him a dog lover and you can just call me in love, because who wouldn't fall in love with these pups after just one look?

Then there is the story of Canadian coach, Justin Wadsworth replacing the broken ski of Russian cross-country skier Anton Gafarov. Wadsworth was quoted saying, "I wanted him to have dignity as he crossed the finish line." There was definitely dignity and of course, compassion, both of which disregarded the boarders dividing countries and teams...something politics forgets.

As we're reaching the one week mark of the 2014 Olympic games, I'm sure more stories that capture the spirit of camaraderie during competition will arise. Hearts will break in defeat, but hopefully spirits in humanity will soar, because there are a million different ways to show someone you care. There are a million different ways to tell someone "I Love You," you just have to listen.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Sincerely, 

Cybill

{Photo Credit//GIF Credit}

"Three Questions"

Have you ever read something that just resonates somewhere within you? The words just strike a chord somewhere deep in your soul. Sometimes those words bring hope and joy. Then, there are other times, those words just break your heart. The way the words are strung together and the story they tell is sad and you relate to that sadness on some level, though you may not have gone through the same pain as the author. Yet, despite the grey cloud in your heart, you can't help but re-read it over and over again, as if it's enchanted some part of you.

Well, I felt something resembling that feeling when reading Three Questions by Lang Leav and I wanted to share with all of you. I'm not sharing in hopes that your heart breaks, but I'm sharing in hopes that some meaning buried within these words resonates with you and within your soul, awakening you to someone or some feeling.

I hope you may never have to hear every goodbye ever said to you -- said all at once. 

Sincerely, 

Cybill