Online Dating: How I Met My Mate

Do you think online dating is only for the young and the foolish? Not true! Lots of men and and women of all ages are finding the love of their life through online dating. I did it and so can you.

Oh, No, Single Again!
When I separated from husband number three, I was 47 years old and plenty scared that I would never find a good man to love. I read all those stories about how a woman over 40 has a better chance of being hit by lightning than getting married again. It's all nonsense. Your life is determined by the state of your consciousness.

When you end an unhappy chapter of your life, it means you've got some soul-searching and spiritual work to do. If you are willing to do the work required to heal your emotional hurts and resentments, you can write a new chapter with a very different ending. I went through a real "Dark Night of the Soul" following my third divorce, but I had such a big, stubborn ego that the only way I was going to learn the lessons I needed to learn was to be completely humbled.

I didn't really find my own spiritual truth until I lost everything else. It took some time, but I eventually turned my life around completely on every front-health, finances, work, and relationships.

As you get older, it becomes more difficult to meet eligible men. More and more people of every age are using online dating to find their special someone. My story should give you lots of confidence that you can meet the right man for you, no matter what your age or geographical location. When you're having trouble meeting eligible prospects in more conventional ways online dating is certainly worth a try.

If anyone had a good reason to complain about how hard it was to meet a good man, it was me. I was over 50, living in a very small mountain town where most people in my age group were married couples. It's a community of pickup trucks and blue jeans. The local joke is: "If you find a guy in Big Bear who is still single, he's either in recovery or on parole." In nearly three years of living there I met a few single men, but no one that I wanted to date.

Finding My Soul Mate
Two weeks after I moved in to the new house I bought, I met my soul mate. It all started several months before, when a woman I knew showed up at church one Sunday with a nice looking, neatly dressed guy in tow. In a sport coat and slacks, not blue jeans-wow!

"He's not from around here, is he?" I asked, "Where did you meet him?"

"On the internet!" she replied.

"Are you serious?" I gasped! She told me there were lots of nice men in our age group using the online dating sites and encouraged me to try the one where they met.

I put my profile and picture on the website she recommended and a whole new world opened up to me. Quite a few men contacted me, and this gave me the opportunity to practice and hone my skills at determining whether they were worth the time and trouble to actually meet in person.

I was very specific about my basic requirements in my profile and it amazed me to see how many guys seemed to just ignore what they read. I stated that I did not want a long distance relationship. He must live close enough geographically so we could see each other at least twice a week. I'd get e-mails from New York, Florida, Texas. I stated flatly "no smokers." Then I'd find out in a phone conversation that the guy smoked! What were they thinking? Couldn't they read?

I did meet several good men and dated them for a period of weeks or months, but no one really clicked with me. That was all right. It was fun checking the internet site to see who contacted me, then writing and talking to lots of different men. Sure, a few were losers or idiots, but most were just decent men who wanted to meet their special woman and fall in love.

The whole experience restored my faith in the male of the species. I saw that most men want someone to love just as much as we women do. They touched my heart and strengthened my resolve to keep the faith. I believed with all my heart that my soul mate was out there looking for me and wanting me as much as I wanted him.

I read some of the success stories posted on the site and noticed that in many cases, the woman had made the initial contact. It gave me the confidence to try my own search instead of just responding to those who contacted me. I wondered if there might be anyone interesting who lived anywhere nearby. My search turned up dozens of men who lived within an hour's drive.

Something immediately drew me to Stephen's profile. He lived in a nearby town right at the bottom of the mountain. His face was blurry in his photo but he was wearing a sleeveless tee shirt, which revealed his muscular upper arms. I'm a sucker for a great pair of biceps, so I contacted him by e-mail. In his online dating profile he said he liked to write poetry, so in the subject line I wrote: "Your muse awaits."

He was intrigued by my message. He wasn't quite sure what a muse was and had to look it up in the dictionary. (A muse is someone who is an inspiration to an artist, especially a poet). He told me later that my clever, romantic line made his day.

We wrote back and forth a few times, and then talked on the phone for several weeks. He sounded rather casual on the phone and I wasn't sure I wanted to meet him. He was persistent though, and convinced me to meet him at a coffee house called Grounds for Enjoyment. Little did I know how prophetic that would turn out to be!

I still didn't know what his face looked like. Oh, but there was no mistake about those biceps! I assumed his looks would be nothing special because of the blurry photo. I kept my expectations low and my mind open, so I wouldn't be disappointed, no matter what happened.

The First Meeting
I was waiting outside when he pulled up in his purple Explorer. He got out and walked toward me and my heart nearly stopped! He was tall, slim, and extremely good looking, half-Italian with dark hair and eyes, an aquiline nose, and strong jaw line. He was wearing a black leather jacket that immediately reminded me of my old high school swains back in New Jersey.

We said hello, and then he impulsively gave me a hug. It caught me off guard but I liked it, and it was okay with me that he did it.

We hit it off immediately. We talked for hours that first night. Before I drove back up the mountain I told him that he felt like family to me. He reminded me so much of my Italian family back east. Being with him was easy and comfortable.

We dated, got engaged, and then married a year and three months later. Online dating worked for me better than I could have dreamed!

If I had not done all that spiritual work before I met him, none of this would have come to be. He is so grateful to have a woman in his life that enjoys being in charge. And I am so grateful to have a man in my life who accepts and loves me as I am. We've been together five years now and every day I'm thankful to have such a good man as my partner in life.

Great relationships are created through your consciousness (as is everything else in your life). That's what I know to be true through my own experience. Great love is possible for every one of us so don't give up! Online dating could be the perfect way for you to meet your soul mate just as it was for me.

Barbara Wright Abernathy helps take-charge women be as successful at love as they are at work. She's the author of Venus On Top: Women Who Are Born to Lead and the Men Who Love Them. Get your FREE report-3 Biggest Mistakes People Make While Dating at http://www.free-dating-online-secrets.com

Related News

Dating Diaries: What a Catch! - Washingtonian.com Dating Diaries: What a Catch! Washingtonian.com, DC -5 hours ago Based on the applications for our new Dating Diaries features, Washingtonians are quite the find. Here are some highlights of what makes some area residents ... Carolyn Hax - Washington Post Washington Post Carolyn Hax Washington Post, United States -3 hours ago If I bring around someone I'm dating or a new friend, these people are downright rude in that they will not talk to the new person. ... Mom pushes son into 'Frankenfriendship'Dallas Morning News CAROLYN HAXWashington Post all 17 news articles On line dating results in charges - Bayshore Broadcasting News Centre On line dating results in charges Bayshore Broadcasting News Centre, Canada -2 hours ago A Midland area man faces a long list of charges after disobeying court orders to give up online dating. 50 year old Enrico Cagnotti of Tiny Township is ... Man faces breach, fraud chargesOwen Sound Sun Times all 2 news articles HARRY POTTER - WATSON DATING ITALIAN ACTOR? - Contactmusic.com Showbiz Spy HARRY POTTER - WATSON DATING ITALIAN ACTOR? Contactmusic.com, UK -7 hours ago HARRY POTTER star EMMA WATSON has sparked rumours she is romancing a young Italian actor - after the pair was spotted enjoying two dates in a week. ... Roberto Agnillera Is Emma Watson’s BoyfriendRight Celebrity Emma Watson casts spell over Italian actorTelegraph.co.uk all 26 news articles How to be a dating goddess - Courier Mail How to be a dating goddess Courier Mail, Australia -14 hours ago It’s also the title of his new must-read dating guide. The book is jam-packed with straight-talking tips on how to bag your man, and quite frankly, ... Jamelia's new dating show - TeleText Jamelia's new dating show TeleText, UK -1 hour ago The singer, 27, will present Bet You Look Good On The Dance Floor, a series being developed by the makers of The X Factor and Britain's Got Talent. ... Miley Cyrus Opens Up About Dating Nick Jonas - E Canada Now E Canada Now Miley Cyrus Opens Up About Dating Nick Jonas E Canada Now, Canada -3 hours ago Los Angelss (ECN) - Miley Cyrus confirmed to Seventeen magazine that she and Nick Jonas dated for two years saying, “we became boyfriend and girlfriend the ... Miley Cyrus Admits Dating Nick JonasVIP Breakdown Miley Cyrus Admits To Dating Nick Jonas, They Were In LoveChattahBox SHOCK! Miley Cyrus: I was in love with Nick JonasNow Magazine Online MTV.com all 141 news articles That game we play: The online dating dilemma - St. Joseph News-Press That game we play: The online dating dilemma St. Joseph News-Press, MO -14 hours ago by Lacey Storer In my first year of dating in St. Joe, I reached a stage that all singles feel at some time, though few want to admit it: desperation. ... Brody Jenner & Frankie Delgado Share 4 Dating Tips - People Magazine Brody Jenner & Frankie Delgado Share 4 Dating Tips People Magazine -5 hours ago Any fan of The Hills knows that Brody Jenner and Frankie Delgado have had plenty of hot dates. Now the guys, who will star in MTV’s upcoming Bromance, ... Cotton is reportedly dating Steve Jones - RTE.ie RTE.ie Cotton is reportedly dating Steve Jones RTE.ie, Ireland -Aug 7, 2008 Television presenter Fearne Cotton is reportedly dating fellow presenter and 'Angus, Thongs and Perfect Snogging' star Steve Jones. According to The Sun, ...