How I Met My Sweetheart
Beginning in the 70’s I began to be aware of a desire to be a partner in a loving relationship that made me feel as cared for and nurtured as I did when I was a 5-year old with my grandmother. There were many bumps along the way as I had my inner work to get through, so it wasn’t until 2007 that my real true love came into my life. Here’s an accounting of the journey across time to that moment, and how it exemplifies my impression of the process of manifestation.
I’ll start in the year 2000, when my second “practice marriage” concluded. My wife at the time had reconnected with an old boyfriend and set me free. It was a blessing, as the relationship had run its course—neither of us had anything further to learn from one another.
The “dating scene” wasn’t a good fit for me, but I did join a “dating service for busy professionals” (as they label themselves) called “It’s Just Lunch.” Of the dozen or so different women they arranged for me to meet before I lost interest, nothing clicked.
I had begun attending a weekly ACIM group, which was fun. Mostly women, but again there was nothing. I recall telling the facilitator of that group, Diane, that any suitable partner I might meet would need to be familiar with the principles of A Course in Miracles, specifically about ego and projection.
I added that to the list of my “requirements”:
- compatible interests
- loves music
- physically fit and attractive
- kind, smart and intuitive
- great sense of humor
- compatible age
- available
It struck me that such a combination is exceedingly rare, and that I wouldn’t be likely able to find this person by “searching.” There was no choice but to turn it over to Spirit. It would be Divine Intervention that would bring this dream to fruition, if it were to happen at all.
In 2006 I had purchased a large house, bigger than I needed as a single man, but big enough to hold furniture that my expected partner would bring. So, I was really living on the assumption that it was “only a matter of time” before the new relationship would appear. I also joked “Nature abhors a vacuum”—referring to the living room that was empty of furniture in the house. There was also an empty bay in the garage for her car.
It had been easy for me to visualize, both with a mental picture as well as on the feeling level, what this relationship I sought would look and feel like. I think holding that mental experience steady for such a long time helped facilitate the serendipitous events that led to finally meeting my sweetheart.
My mother had introduced me to Gary Renard’s first book, Disappearance of the Universe when it came out in 2003. I loved the book. It offered an entirely different perspective on ACIM that gave it new life and relevance. As Gary tells the story, he was visited in-person over a period of almost ten years by two self-described ascended masters. Over 409 pages, Gary describes 17 meetings with these two, who were named Arten and Pursah. I loved Gary’s self-deprecating humor as well as the clarification of many of the more confusing aspects of the ACIM material.
I attended several of Gary’s presentations and workshops, including one in Seattle, two in Hawaii, one at Omega Institute in Austin, and one in (I think) Wisconsin. I had connected up with some of the people hosting these events and in Hawaii attended a big party for Gary held after the workshop.
Here’s a photo from 2007 with Tom Carpenter, Gary, me, and Tom’s wife, Linda, taken on the island of Kauai where Gary was giving a weekend workshop. Tom was a well-known Course teacher too; he is the author of Dialog on Awakening, and Let Love Find You.
Towards the end of 2007 I heard that Gary would be coming back to the Seattle area for an event on Saturday, the 22nd of September. The event was to be held at the East Shore Unitarian Church in Bellevue.
The woman hosting this event was named Madeline, and she had a website called “Heartlight Healing.” She advertised herself as an “energy healer.”
The portrait Madeline had on her website (left) was intriguing. I was anxious to meet her. I had the idea that I could invite Gary over to the house for a party on the afternoon following his Saturday workshop, and this would be a great way to see what was going on with the beautiful being I had seen in the photo. Gary accepted the invitation, as did a bunch of other friends and relatives.
On that Saturday, ten minutes before the workshop was to start, I was sitting in my chair, waiting, and I suddenly had the idea “I can meet Madeline!” I jumped up, went out into the foyer of the church to find a person who matched that photo. I spotted her and my first impression was: she’s tall! And totally as gorgeous as the photo. We hugged.
Madeline brought Gary to the party on Sunday, and it was great for everyone to visit with him socially, but for me, the highlight was being able to chat with Madeline. I asked her about energy healing and suggested we meet for lunch. She said, OK, but that it would have to be after she returns from a trip to Egypt. My thought was, wow, this lady is out of my league: an energy healer who zips off to Egypt. When we did have that lunch, she related her many adventures, including that she had crawled on hands and knees into the “Pit” beneath the Great Pyramid, an experience not afforded most tourist groups (significant bakshish is involved if that opportunity is to be granted). I was impressed.
Our first dinner date was at an Italian restaurant called “Café Paradiso.” Romance ensued, and we were inseparable after that. I knew around January 2008 that I wanted to propose marriage, but since Valentine’s day was nearby, I had the idea that I could propose at that special day at a special location: the top of the Space Needle in Seattle. We were married in June.
I learned later, after wedding plans were in place, that while in Egypt, Madeline had seen a beautiful embroidered galabeya, a long wide-sleeved traditional Egyptian robe that had been worn by Danielle, the woman leading the tour. Madeline asked “where did you get that?” The next day, she made her way to the shop Danielle recommended. The shopkeeper asked Madeline to describe the kind of dress she had in mind, but before she could speak, Danielle came through the door wearing the dress. “Just like that one, please!” The color choices were limited; Madeline chose an off-white. The shopkeeper said sure, we can make one of those. I later learned that they had asked Danielle if she might leave her dress overnight to use as a model. Danielle said “sure, if you lend me another dress.”
The dress was ready the next day, and Madeline brought it back to the lobby of the hotel, where the other members of the group were gathered. One said “oh, show us your dress.” When Madeline unveiled it, someone said “It looks like a wedding dress!” Madeline’s friend Mary, a gifted psychic exclaimed “it is.” Madeline replied “It’s Mark, isn’t it?” Mary replied “it could be.” As it turned out, Madeline wore this dress at our wedding, less than a year later.
Madeline later recounted another psychic connection that happened earlier in the year we met. While on a “Shamanic Journey,” one of her intuitive friends exclaimed “your next relationship is right here. And you’re trading up.” She also let Madeline know “he said he’d wait for you.” I have a recollection of a moment sometime that year while I was driving, when a disconnected thought came into my head, “will you wait?”. And of course, I responded yes, I would.
