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CollegesweetheartsIsmileatmytwolovelydaughtersandtheyseemsomuchmorematurethanwe,theirparents,whenwewerecollegesweethearts.Linda,who's21,hadaboyfriendinherfreshmanyearshethoughtshewouldmarry,butthey'renottogetheranymore.Melissa,who's19,hasn'thadasteadyboyfriendyet.MydaughterswonderwhentheywillmeetTheOne,theirgreatlove.TheythinktheirfatherandIhadaclassicfairy-taleromanceheadingformarriagefromtheoutset.Perhaps,they'rerightbutitdidn'tseemsoatthetime.Inaway,lovejusthappenswhenyouleastexpectit.WhowouldhavethoughtthatButchandIwouldendupgettingmarriedtoeachother?Hebecamemyboyfriendbecauseofmyshallowagenda:Iwantedacuteboyfriend!Wemetthroughmycollegeroommateattheuniversitycafeteria.Thatfatefulnight,Iwasmerelycurious,butforhimIthinkitwasloveatfirstsight.Youhavebeautifuleyes,hesaidashegazedatmyface.Hekeptstaringatmeallnightlong.Ireallywasn'tthatinterestedfortworeasons.First,helookedlikehewasareallywildboy,maybeevendangerous.Second,althoughhewasverycute,heseemedalittleweird.Ridingonhisbicycle,he'dridepastmydormasifbyaccidentandpretendtobesurprisedtoseeme.Ilikedtheattentionbutwascautiousabouthiswild,dynamicpersonality.Hehadacharmingwaywithwordswhichwouldcharmanygirl.FearcameovermewhenIstartedtofallinlove.Hisexcitingbadboyimagewasjusttootemptingtoresist.Whatwasitthatattractedme?Ialwayshadanexcellentreputation.Myconcentrationwassolelyonmystudiestogetsuperiorgrades.Butforwhat?Collegeissupposedtobeatimeofgreatlearningandalsosomefun.Ihadnearlyachievedagreateducation,andgraduationwasjustonesemesteraway.ButIhadn'thadanyfun;mylifewasstalewithnocomponentoffun!Ineededaboyfriend.Notjustanyboyfriend.Hehadtobecute.Mygoalthatsemesterbecame:BeambitiousandgrabthecutestboyfriendIcanfind.Iworriedwhathe'dthinkofme.True,welivedinatimewhenadramaticshiftinsexualattitudeswastakingplace,butIwasatraditionalgirlwhowasn'treadyforthenewwaysthatseemedcommononcampus.Butchlookedsuperb!Iwasnotimmunetohispersonality,butIwasscared.ThenightwhenheannouncedtotheworldthatIwashisgirlfriend,Iwentalongwithhim.AndthenIsuddenlythought:Ohmygosh!AmIhisgirlfriend?Howdidthathappen?Thenhewhisperedsweetwordsinmyearandsaid,I'mgoingtomarryyouonedayandIwillbealawyer.Youwillsee.Iwaslaughinginsideandsaidtomyself,I'dnevermarrythisguy.He'sarebelwithoutagoodfuture.He'smyboyfriendbecauseIhatemyboringstudentlife.Ijustwanttohavefun.6Sureenough,thefollowingmonth,Ifoundouthehadfailedallhiscourses.Consequently,hewasgoingtobeexpelledfromtheuniversity.Tomydisgust,heseemedresignedtohisfate.Iknewtherewashope,soIledhimtothecollegesecretaryforreconsideration.YouaregoingtograduatewithaBAinpoliticalsciencefromUPennandproceedtotheCollegeofLaw,Itoldhim,lodginganappealonhisbehalf,whichwasapproved.Butchwasgrantedreconsideration.And,oncewebecamesteadies,hecoordinatedhisstudiesandsociallife,passingallofhisclasses.Heeventuallystudiedlaw.DespiteButch'ssomewhatwildcharacter,athiscore,heisalwaysaperfectgentlemananddeservesalotofcreditforthat.True,he'dsometimestakethelibertyofdisplayinghislovebyplantingakissonmylipsrightinfrontofmyastonishedfriendswhowatchedanddisapproved.Butthetruthiswehadapureandresponsiblerelationshipforsevenfullyears.Sittingbythepalmtrees,handinhand,wewouldlistentoromanticsongs,watchthesunset,andweavedreamsofbeingtogetherwithchildrenofourown,forever.Twoyearspassedinablur.Oneday,Butchtookmebysurpriseashekneltdownandproposedmarriageholdingadozenredroses!Filledwithdeepemotion,Iconfessedmyloveforhim,Howroooomaaaantic!!Thenmybrainwokeupfromfantasyland.Icriedout,Goodheavens.No!We'retooyoungtotietheknot.Wehaven'tevengraduatedfromcollegeyet!Ireallylovedhimbutwaspessimisticaboutourchancesforsuccess.Wemarriedfiveyearslater.Ourfaithfuljourneyofloveandlearningtookusdownrockyroadsofhardshipandonsmootheasy-goinghighways.Itisalong,romantic,sometimescrazy,lovestorythatsumsupa29-yearlonghoneymoontogetherasacouplewhoarestillmadlyinlovewitheachother.Ourlovecommencedwithacasualattractionbutbloomedintoamatureloveandrichlife.