A Second Chance, Revisited

It's just been over a week since I've started my daily blog of thanksgiving, and it has already resulted in somewhat of a miracle for one of my friends.

Remember the post that I wrote about my grade school/high school friend Charlie Gatz? (Entitled "A Second Chance")

Charlie and I haven't been in contact for awhile, even though we are Facebook friends.  Well, I received an unexpected email from him today, with the subject "You're Not Going to Believe This".

After reading his email, I was just floored, happy, speechless, humbled...every positive emotion I can think of.

With his permission, I present to you his edited email with some minor commentary:

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To: Vladimir Paje
From: Charlie Gatz
Date:  1/09/2012
Subject: You're Not Going to Believe This

Vlad (aka Bob),

The best way to describe this e-mail to you, Vlad, is to say that it's a 'witnessing' from me to you.  I think you'll understand that.  Here goes:

I just got an e-mail today from my fiancee - in Australia. ...  In it, she told me about something she wasn't sure she should have done.  Unable to sleep, she Googled my name, which brought up your recent blog about me.   ...

Well, your blog gave her the encouragement she needed to get through what is to be our last stretch of being separated before we get married.  She had been burying what she has been feeling lately- and she sent me an e-mail before the one mentioning your blog that we need to make time to talk with each other more often.  She said that your blog inspired her to be thankful for what she has now rather than what she is missing.

So, in this regard, I have to give you thanks, Vlad.  You've given someone very special to me strength to get through a very trying time - half way across the world, yet closely tied to your past.  It amazes me that she (my fiancee, all the way in Australia) was able to read a blog by a good high school friend (which she doesn't realize).  

You are forever forgiven for dating Kathy Woodard knowing I wanted to date her so very badly.  LoL
[Kathy was a mutual band friend of ours in Jr and Sr. high school, and was my first girlfriend.  And for the record, she liked me first ;-) Sorry, Charlie :-P]

Additional stuff:  [This part talks about how Charlie met his fiancee, a neat story in of itself] 

I met my fiancee in a chat room in 2005 while going through my divorce.  We started to get to know each other and shortly after spending many hours together online, decided *gasp!* to try the long distance relationship thing.  We lasted about six months ( a very special six months though) but couldn't keep it going so we went our separate ways.  

Fast forward 5 years.  No contact, no e-mails, I've been dating someone I wasn't really happy with but unsure what direction to take my life.  I left the person to make a new life for myself and during this time of change, kept thinking about her.  Mainly, how I thought she was the one that "got away".  

So, for about two weeks - I searched for her.  I had no mailing address, no e-mail address or phone number with which to try and get a hold of her.  While putzing around on an old MSN Messenger account we used to talk through, I was poking around her profile and found an e-mail address I hadn't recognized.  I was pretty discouraged by this time and had come to the conclusion that I probably wouldn't be able to get a hold of her.  I sent an e-mail just pouring my heart out and sent it. 

Two days later, she e-mailed me back!  

We kept e-mailing, updating each other on what's been going on in our lives in the past 5 years.  I asked if she had settled down and found happiness to which she replied she hadn't.  Every night since finding her, I prayed saying "Thank you" to God for having me find her again.   Never have I prayed so much in my life: not even when I was dating Cathy Tyre! [Another mutual band friend]

Though we couldn't figure out 'how' we were going to be together (she's from another country and we've never met!) - things started to work out.  First, she made plans to visit with me this past December.  O M G, Vlad, you want to talk about nervous?!!! I've known this woman for 6 years, told her my deepest darkest secrets and was suddenly going to meet her in person! 

On December 3rd, I picked her up from Orlando International and met her for the first time.  We got along great!  We confirmed what we already knew- that we were so compatible, that I drove her to Key West on a full moon weekend, took her to the highest building and proposed to her.  She said,"YES!"  

Now, we are trying to get a K1 Visa so that she can enter the country to marry me. The biggest hurdle which was to prove we had actually met, was now behind us and now we want to spend the rest of our lives together.  

Her going back home and trying to go back to what we had been doing for a year's time is the hardest part of this whole experience.  We just have to get through this last part and then we're going to be able to be with each other indefinitely.  

Nevertheless, she has been pretty discouraged.  . . that is, until she read your blog about me.  

So, again, thanks Vlad : )   I owe you much for that blog! 

Sincerely and appreciatively,

~Charlie

P.S. I did read the blog (She linked it in an e-mail she sent to me).  I don't remember you doing that in the cafeteria.  I wouldn't put it past you though LoL.  It was a very nice blog :)

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