lyndsay & matt

Fall Semester, 2001 (Sophomore year of college)

Scene: my bedroom after a class with him

I hated him. He was so annoying – always taking over the discussion, and he clearly had absolutely no understanding of social cues.  

I couldn’t believe I’d have to spend 4 months with him while studying abroad with only 15 other students as buffer. How could I survive? I hated him, but I wouldn’t let that stop me from going. NO. I WAS GOING, DAMMIT.

Spring Semester, 2002

Scene: 1^st stop on a 4 month tour of the United Kingdom and Ireland

Well, here we are. 17 students, one professor. London, Dublin, Edinburgh for 4 months. And, yes, he’s here too. 

Scene: 3^rd stop on our tour

It’s been about a week since we arrived, and I’m starting to see that everyone in the group feels the same way about him. They are mocking him behind his back. No one is hanging out with him. 

Scene: 4^th stop on our tour

The group dynamic hasn’t been working very well. 17 non-friends pulled together while traveling and studying is harder than I thought. The women (all 13 of us!) seem to get along well, but the guys are trying to fit in and they don’t get along well with each other. It’s weird. Something needs to be done. 

I open my journal. I write everyone’s name down and one good trait. Then, I write one way that I can be their friend. Yes, his name is there. Yes, I found one way to be his friend. (No, I did not write an entire paragraph on ways that I could treat him better. Why would you think I would do that? I wasn’t feeling guilty at all.)

Starting that day, I attempted to be his friend. To find the good. Someone had to. May as well be me.

Scene: Bath, England, approximately 10^th stop on the tour

We went on a walk together. At this point, we are established friends. We don’t hang out much, but when we do, it’s fun. He has a great sense of humor, and I think I’m beginning to see why he works the way he does. 

We are with another friend, and we meander through a garden. It’s romantic, even though the other friend is there, too. 

Fall Semester, 2002 (Junior year)

Scene: 1^st day arrival at my dorm

He called the dorm even before I arrived. He was waiting for me. My mom teased that he was the one.  

lyndsay & matt were married in august 2004 and have a son, Isaac.