Online Romance

by Marion
(Seattle, WA USA)

My husband and I met in a games room at AOL.

We both love playing board games and video games in real life, and when AOL was first up and running we naturally drifted over into playing these same games online.

The added bonus for me was that I had a few friends who hosted these games, and they often talked about some of the really intelligent and funny people who showed up to play.

My friend Jim kept after me to come and play a word game that he was hosting, and so I finally showed up, and...

The first night I played I really kicked butt so I decided this really was a lot of fun.

So every week you could find me in the game room for this game.

There was a guy from the mid-West who also showed up with great regularity and he and I would often vie for the top spot in the game.

This naturally led to a lot of good natured kidding with each other and from other players in the room.

We soon found ourselves sending IMs and e-mails about the game, and some of the people who played there.

Then the communications became more personal and after a few months he asked for my phone number and we talked in real life.

The gamers decided to have a little convention and they picked my home city so my friend came to town and we met.

It was a case of instant attraction and when he went back home he started looking for jobs that would move him to the West Coast.

It took him ten months and the both of us some flying visits to each other's homes, but he got a job in my home town and moved out.

We were married within a few months of his move and that was five years ago.

We were able to keep in touch constantly through IMs and e-mails and big phone bills and flying, but a long distance relationship is still hard.

There's nothing like having the one you love close by when you need a hug or some cheering up, or just the chance to see them and say hello.

My advice is if you are in a long distance relationship, remember that it takes a special kind of work and commitment and go for it!