Blog Challenge Day 10

My first love...

I have actually already written about this so I am re-posting because I am too tired.  The only change since I wrote the post was that we are now friends on Facebook and he is alive and well!

Originally published on 11/2/10

My first love...

This is hard to write, but not for the usual reasons. My first love was a friend from childhood. We met when I was about 10 years old and he was 12. He was my next door neighbors best friend, and we all hung out together. We spent many hours playing basketball, hide and go seek, and kickball. I don't really remember when we became more than friends, but it was sometime during high school. I had liked him on and off since I first met him, but you know how boys are! I think it was 10th grade when I finally got sick of him not picking up on the fact that I liked him SO much. I told one of his lacrosse teammates who said he would make it happen. I didn't really believe him because he was "so cute" in my 10th grade eyes!

He did end up calling me, and we went on our first date in May 17, 1997. Why do I remember the exact date? I just do. We played tennis because he thought I liked tennis. It was awkward to say the least! We did a lot of the usual stuff, movies, hanging out at our houses, etc. He had a great sense of humor and the blueest eyes. The glitch in the plan was that he was leaving in August for Basic Training. We tried to stay together, but I was in high school and he was in the Army. Looking back, we wanted very different things but we did love each other. I don't remember when we really broke up since we were pretty on and off until my senior year. We took turns breaking each others hearts.

The reason it is hard to think about him is because he is still in the Army and has been in and out of Afghanistan for years. I hope he is alive and well, but I have no way of knowing for sure. I would assume that I would hear if something had happened since our parents still live in the same town, but every time a prayer is said for our service men and women, I pray for him. My dear friend. I wish I had told him how brave I think he is, and how proud I am of the way he serves our country. At 15, I never realized how much he was willing to sacrifice for our country. I know his life has not been easy, but I hope that somewhere out there, he is happy.