Five Years & Counting

It was mid-June 2006, and the summer months were going well. I was working full time at the bindery during the day.  My weekends were filled with horseback riding, hiking, and other adventures. My weeknight evenings were filled spending time with friends, going to institute, playing pool soccer, and trying to learn some Italian so I could go to Italy and study at the Florence Academy of Art. My home teacher and friend Nate was teaching me Italian since he had served his mission in Italy. In fact, many of my activities seemed to put me in his company. He was always at pool soccer and institute, and my roommates and I had set up a dinner group with Nate and his roommates. Others seem to notice the time Nate and I were spending together and kept asking me if there was something going on between us. The questions were rather bothersome to me; there was nothing going on between us. We were just friends!

That Thursday morning while I was at that bindery, I got an email from Nate with some Italian lines to translate. The translation was an invitation to go out with him that Saturday evening. Suddenly, I knew I liked him. I think the feeling had been growing on me, though I don’t know when it started and I certainly had not been willing to admit it to myself before that point. Yet even while denying to my friends and roommates that anything could happen between us, some part of me had been hoping and wondering if there could ever be anything else there. The rest of that day I was radiantly happy, and my boss even wondered aloud about my sudden elated disposition.

That Saturday evening Nate and I went with a small group of friends up to Salt Lake City to listen to a concert by the Orchestra at Temple Square given in the Conference Center. I was shocked by how at ease I felt, and even at how flirtatious I acted. This was all the more odd considering it was a first date, and Nate and I were the only ones on a date amid our group of mutual friends.

Before the next week had finished out we were officially dating. It was so strange and wonderful to me. Nate was the first guy I had been in a relationship with that I actually felt completely comfortable with. Unlike times when I had been with other guys, I was alright with people knowing that we were dating. I didn’t care when my friends, roommates, or other ward members saw us holding hands. In fact, I wanted to be seen like that. I wanted people to know we were together. I even told my family about Nate and had them meet him just a couple weeks after we started dating. This was pretty radical considering my family had never even heard about any of the other guys I was interested in or dating until we broke up, if at all. I was absolutely amazed at how right and good the whole thing felt.

That was probably the most blissful summer I have ever experienced, and fortunately, that wonderful relationship continued on. I feel so blessed that we are still together. Our own symphony of sorts has never stopped since that first date. And while at times the sweet melody has been accompanied by rather bitter and sorrowful notes, the song has just grown stronger and more beautiful with time.  I wouldn’t trade it for anything.

Happy Fifth Anniversary Nate! I love you!