Dream Come True

Beginning an intimate relationship with someone of the opposite sex may be one of the most breathtaking experiences that you can go through. Not only do you feel torn by conflicting emotions of sheer ecstasy and extreme anxiety, but you also find yourself struggling to find a balance between intimacy and privacy. As your lives become more and more intertwined, it is so easy to lose sight of your own identity and be emotionally dependent on the other person. Some people enter relationships without contemplating the consequences, while others have a terrible fear of failure and therefore shun intimacy altogether. You can never predict the paths on which your relationship travels just as you can never understand the complex feelings and thoughts that grip your heart.

And although you can choose the person with whom you associate, you don't have any control over the changing circumstances and the forces that threaten to destroy your unity. Perhaps it takes more than passionate love to venture into the jungle of emotions; it takes courage and an unfailing spirit. When you fall in love with someone, you are, in a sense, exposing your heart to the danger of having it broken. But you are also starting an adventure that you will never forget.

What does it really mean to be destined for each other? I'm going to present two starkly contrasting stories, and I will leave you to make the final judgment. Please note that the individuals' actual names are not mentioned in the following true stories.

Story one: The two of them worked at the same summer camp. Hamidi came all the way from the African continent as a volunteer while Jillian, a Chinese Canadian, joined the camp counselor crew due to some changes in her summer plans. For the first few weeks at camp, the two of them barely crossed each other's path since they were assigned to work with different age groups. Both of them struggled to assimilate into the dominant culture and found themselves unable to build deep relationships with other camp counselors. Interestingly enough, they became close to a Chinese Canadian called Daniel, without the other's knowledge, and were formerly introduced to each other by this mutual friend.

On the last week of Jillian's employment contract, the two of them were assigned to work in the day camp and were even partnered up to monitor two groups of older children. They would take the children to do various activities, such as kayaking, tent-making, and swimming during the day and spend their nights expressing their innermost feelings and secrets in the cabin that they cohabited with another male staff (who was always preoccupied with his own things). The similarities that they shared went on and on until both of them became convinced that they were destined for each other. How often do you meet someone who is like you in character, in speech, in faith, and in passion? They strongly believed that they were meant to be together, and although they'd not expected anything to happen, they ended up fondling each other, only stopping just before the point of no return. After the camp had ended, Hamidi went back to Africa and they never saw each other again.

Story two: The two of them joined the same club on campus and established a relationship of trust as time progressed. Since they enjoyed each other's company a lot, they would often invite each other to various events and have endless conversations about their heart's deepest joy and concern. Although Mark grew very fond of Allison, he was preoccupied with his own studies and made no attempt to begin a serious relationship with her. There were other male friends that pursued her during the years that followed Mark's initial fondness, but, for some reason, none of them worked out in the end. As the two grew in friendship, Allison began to wonder if Mark would ever take the initiative to ask her out. Having endured a few years of interminable waiting, she was about to give up hope of ever becoming his girlfriend.

Just as she was brooding over the future of their relationship, her dream suddenly became a reality. In the midst of her joy and excitement, however, she was perturbed by some unsettled issues. Though she was confident that these issues would not affect her decision to accept Mark, she couldn’t entirely disregard their ominous presence. Also, she wanted her parent’s wholehearted approval. Mark initially made a good impression on her parents, but when they heard that he was going on an overseas trip, their fear of losing their beloved daughter made them oppose Mark. When Allison saw her parents' reactions, she felt tears pricking her eyelids. She'd waited for so long, only to discover that it wasn't going to work out after all. Fortunately, it was only a misunderstanding. Mark was planning to return after working overseas for a year. When Allison informed her parents of his actual plan, her parents gave her the response that she'd desired. But this was only the beginning. Allison knew that in order for true love to blossom, it would have to withstand the test of time. Though she caught glimpses of the impending obstacles, her heart was filled with a mysterious sense of peace. It was calming; it was powerful. A glimmer of hope flared up inside her, wrapping her soul in an intangible warmth, delicious yet hard to grasp. A cheerful smile appeared on her face as she began to reminisce about the various events that had led up to this seemingly fateful day. So much had happened; so much was yet to come.

So what is fate to you?