I nearly kicked dear Tommy in the face because I was so awkward.
Even though I wanted romance, truth be told, I had no idea how to handle it. Part of the issue was that I never expected it, and I had never related to myself as someone that a man would be romantic with. After all, I’m far from your typical fairytale princess.
So how does one get a romantic first date when you’re usually romance-repellant?
1. Say YES when he asks you out
2. ALLOW the romance to happen no matter how unnatural it feels
So there we were, 1st date, on this funky roof top patio downtown Toronto. He seemed pleased by everything that came out of my mouth and I was in awe of his life experiences (so different from the narrow-minded jock I had pinned him as).
We were sitting at a high table which meant my feet didn’t touch the ground. Inevitably, my shoe slipped off.
I blurted “oh s#!t” (being the graceful lady that I am), and was trying to figure out how I would get my shoe back without knocking over the table (I am the clumsiest person I know).
But before I made a move, Tommy darted in front of me and picked up my shoe.
Every cell in my body went awkward. “oh no, he’s going to see my fat legs” was my first thought. But luckily, my second thought was “just let it happen”.
I actively and intentionally did nothing, and let this gorgeous, gentleman put my fallen shoe back on my foot.
As he looked up at me, with no exaggeration, the next thing that happened was this.
An older woman from across the patio, cries out: “Oh my gawwwd, you’re like Cinderella!”
Holy crap! I was having one of those magical romantic, moments and I didn’t screw it up!
Finally I had met someone who was pursuing me with fierce intention, but not just trying to get in my pants.
Finally I had met someone who intrigued me as much as I intrigued him!
But of course, this just led to a whole new bucket of barriers:
– Do I like the tinder guy better?
– Will Tommy disappoint me like everyone else?
– How do I NOT turn into that 14-year-old girl who likes a boy way too much way too quickly?
– How do I just enjoy date #2 without planning our future wedding?
Can you see that 95% of this is about the INNER work?
So the moral of the story is that if you are like me, and consider yourself to be romantically challenged then the place to look is from within. Your fairytale is waiting for you and so is that person of your dreams.
P.S. Guess what Tommy gave me for our first year’s anniversary? A necklace with a Cinderella slipper! So frickin’ romantic!