Picture this. University Heights. 1991. Cleveland Heights High School.

I’d known Derek for a few years, but my freshman year at Heights High is when our friendship began to blossom. Over the next few years, we became close friends. He even asked to date me during that time. Now that I remember like it was yesterday, but I’ll spare you the boring details. By the time Derek was a senior, we were best friends. I went to his prom in 1994, and he went to mine in 1995.

The next stop for our friendship was the University of Toledo, where our friendship continued to develop. Our paths diverged slightly, but he remained in Toledo while I pursued my undergrad degree. When I graduated in 2000, we went our separate ways and lost touch with each other for about a decade.

Enter our mothers, Linda and Justina. While we were out living our lives - me in graduate school and starting my career in public health and Derek living in Uganda - they were running into each other around the Heights, plotting on how to get us together. Around 2012, Mom and I ran into Derek’s mom and cousin while shoe shopping. Something seemed different about their conversation. Then I heard them both wonder out loud why we ‘weren’t together’. Obviously, they didn’t care that we were just friends. Like moms sometimes do, they had an agenda.

Later that night while packing for an overseas trip, I decided to join Facebook. Derek was one of the first people I requested as a friend. I stalked his page to see what he was up to and reached out to see if we could meet and catch up when he came back to the States.

We met at Caribou Coffee at La Place in Beachwood. Just two friends happy to see each other and catch up on life. I didn’t realize how much I missed him. After that, every time he’d come to visit, we’d make time to hang out and catch up on life.

Fast forward to 2014. Derek returned to help his mom pack and move to Uganda. I felt something I couldn’t explain at the time, but his mom and sister knew: I was worried I wouldn’t see him again and realized I loved him more than as a friend.

I mustered the courage to tell him how I felt and asked if he would consider dating long distance. Initially, he said no. Instead of letting that be the end of it, we spent more time together and had some honest conversations. With our families supporting us – and after sharing our first kiss – we agreed to see if a long-distance relationship could work.

Almost 10 years later, we’re on our life partner journey. Living, laughing and loving each other through whatever life puts on our path. While we couldn’t see how our journey would evolve back in 1991, neither of us would choose to walk this path with anyone else.

#KWESlove