When I was in college in Nacogdoches, Texas, I decided I wanted to live half of my life in the city and half in the country, half single and half married. This is the married county half.

I like people. Meeting someone new was exciting and usually led to new experiences and insight into the human experience. It gave me an education about humanity that I couldn’t find elsewhere.

It also helped me to learn more about myself. Watching people’s expressions and body language can often be more insightful than words. Observing how others organized and lived their lives helped broaden my outlook on life.

I was also protective of my time. I was on a mission to figure out what I wanted in life, and I thought it was unfair to others to enter into a serious relationship without knowing myself.

In my forties, I would go Contra dancing in Charlottesville on the weekends to socialize. Over the years, I made many wonderful friends and had many meaningful experiences.

One night, I was standing in line waiting for the dance to start, and I happened to glance down the line and saw the most adorable woman. I remember saying to myself, “Wayne, I think it’s all over,” we’ve been together ever since.