Misconceived perceptions...

Every once in a while I take a nap and awake to a sense of not only rest, but peace. I especially like this when I can almost taste it, as if I've been treated to a great feast, my soul replenished, and the bliss of the meal lingers within.

This past weekend was one of the roughest I've had in recent memory. It had all the makings of a memorable get away only to be wasted on misconceived perceptions of one's intentions.

Montana State is having one of those years in football and I've been more than happy to follow along as we have won game after game. Last week in fact, for the first time since 1984, the Bobcats were ranked #1 in the nation. As with every fall, the season concludes with the annual Brawl of the Wild!--the clash between the two Big Sky heavyweights: Montana and Montana State.

For my birthday this year, my sister purchased an online dating membership for me. I've attempted online dating before with little if any success, but was open to giving it a second go. Back in September it led to a couple of dates with a young lawyer in Denver. Not much in the way of sparks, but I was thankful for the opportunity nonetheless.

More recently I've been in touch with a young veterinarian who serendipitously lives in my ol' college town of Bozeman. She is a woman of faith, interested in traveling internationally, and...single!

This past weekend I decided to take a chance and make the trip up to Montana for the game and to meet this young lass from England. The timing couldn't have been more perfect as I was hesitant to open up more to this young lady without meeting her first. How little did I know at the time that I was embarking on an adventure that will leave me with questions and scratching my head for years to come.

The story here is a long one. One I would surely leave out important details of if I attempted to summarize. On my return trip, I had planned to spend an evening in Billings with one of my best friends from college, but decided to drive some 8 hours through the night and process what had taken place arriving home at 2 in the morning. I was as frustrated and confused as I have rarely been ever before in my life after an encounter such as this. I really don't understand or know what to make of our meeting.

But, after some hard soul-searching last night, today I find myself thankful. Thankful for the sense of peace that lingers within.