Writing my life out on the pavement

The end of 2025 wasn’t exactly what I had ever planned for. I thought I’d be going into the new year doing the same stuff I had been doing. Dating, having fun with no bounds, being loyal to just myself. Nothing could remove me from the path I had chosen, or so I thought.

A few days before Thanksgiving, I decided to check out my matches on Facebook’s Dating page. Up until this point, I had found several dates, but nothing really concrete. On November 24th, I matched with someone I already knew and this someone was definitely nowhere near my radar. I messaged him asking if he knew who I was and he responded with, “Yes I know who you are. Any exciting Thanksgiving plans?” Well, I guess that meant, game on.

Fast forward to December 20th and we went on our first date. I was so nervous. Primarily because I knew how this could end at the end of the night and then what would follow. See, this guy was someone who knew my ex-husband. They weren’t close, according to him, but it still made me feel like I was going to be answering for my life decisions. Spoiler alert, I indeed have had to answer for this life decision. But that night was magical and it was only the beginning.

Josh and I became inseparable. He made every effort to make me happy. No, it wasn’t perfect, and it wasn’t some fairytale where everything just fell into place without effort, but it was real. It was intentional and transparent. And for the first time in a long time, I felt like someone was choosing me just as much as I was choosing them.

What stood out the most was how easy it felt to just be myself. There was no pretending, no overthinking every word or action. I didn’t feel like I had to prove anything or shrink parts of who I was to make it work. He saw me, fully, and instead of being intimidated or turned away by my past, my experiences, or my independence, he leaned in.

Of course, there were moments where I questioned it all. Things moved fast, faster than anything I had ever experienced. And if I’m being honest, that scared me. After everything I had been through, I had built walls that I thought would take years for anyone to break down. Somehow, Josh didn’t try to tear them down… he just stood there patiently until I was ready to lower them myself.

By the time 2026 came around, I realized something had shifted in me. I wasn’t dating just to date anymore. I wasn’t protecting myself from love, I was open to it. Fully. And that’s when I knew this was different.

Last month, we got engaged.

Even typing that still feels surreal.

This wasn’t part of the plan I thought I had for myself, but it turns out, sometimes the best things in life aren’t planned at all. They just happen when you least expect them, when you’re finally ready, even if you didn’t realize you were.

Now we’re planning a wedding, combining our homes and family, and figuring things out one step at a time. And while I don’t know exactly what the future holds, I do know this, I’m no longer walking into it alone, and that makes all the difference.

If 2025 taught me anything, it’s that life can change in an instant. And if 2026 is teaching me anything so far, it’s that love can find you when you’re least prepared for it, but most ready to receive it.