The Boys Who Came Before

About a month or so ago, two friends and I met up to stuff our faces with guacamole and tacos, with a side or four of beers. These particular girlyfriends are officially hitched to their respective lovahs, while I am myself also on the verge of eternal marital commitment (Duh!) Somehow we started talking about prior relationships, romantic entanglements and "Falling Hard" vs. "Falling Easy."

From Mr. Dragon's and my first year together:

For me, I have had one SERIOUS boytoy predating Mr. Dragon. Other than that, I dated a few guys. Most of them were very nice; some were tools (some were even toolboxes!) There was the opera singer that I fell in love with practically overnight, and he broke my heart into teeny pieces. There was the Ross and Rachel romance that never really got off the ground (hence the obligatory lesson of friends vs. lovers.) There was a superhot motorcycle McHottie, but that's about all there was to that. Um, scorchingly hot though. Seriously, girls.

I fell hard for a few of them. Some lasted for a few months; a couple love affairs drug out in a lethal back-and-forth over a number of years. Sometimes the emotions were on overdrive with a lot of unnecessary drama. When I met Mr. Dragon though, the unnecessary drama was non-existent. WHAT a concept! I had all the fun, lovie dovie feelings, except without all the crappy stuff. Blew. My Mind. It was EASY. I didn't have to tread carefully when we had disagreements. I didn't worry about him backing out when he found out about all those ugly blemishes we all have hidden away When we had serious conversations, I didn't have to edit myself. We laid everything we were feeling out there on the table.

Everything was just so effortless, even when we were mad at each other. We were able to be straight with each other without a second's thought. Not to say we don't fight, because we TOTALLY do. The difference is that there are no games or jockeying for power. Just easy and real, without plastic trappings that characterized our past love lives. We had a lot to work through when it came to detoxing from our previous experiences that had colored our ideas of love. Fortunately we both knew that the detoxing had nothing to do with US; it had to do with processing the mistakes of the past. I am so glad to have found somebody for whom I have fallen BOTH hard and easily. Though we have been through a lot in our four years together, we have also built a relationship that supports and celebrates each other. I am sure we will have many more hurdles to cross in our life together, but I know that we are a team that will pick each other up - always.

Besides, how can you NOT love a face like this??

Image Source: Mr. Dragon's 2nd grade photographer :)