I met my husband in a Dale Carnegie Class.  We’d been in the class for weeks together without really speaking.  I only knew him from his quietly intense speeches and my sometimes envy, sometimes admiration for winning what I think is the most pens for having the best talk in the class.

We didn’t really get the opportunity to speak until session eight or so —  just over half way through the thirteen session series.  It was a short exchange “Oh, are you from Pittsburgh?…I’m from Pittsburgh!”  He said.  “Oh”  I said.  (That’s about 87 characters in case you were counting).

But the Tuesday before Thanksgiving we had a real conversation; one that started with 87 characters and has grown into the family we have today. I’m telling you this because there was a moment inside this very first exchange where I considered blowing him off and he never would have asked again.  At that point, our timeline would have ended and I would be leading a completely different life.