Most of us spend a lot of time thinking about life’s big decisions. We ponder the positives and negatives, draw up lists to help us find the “right” answer. But in most cases perhaps the biggest ever life decision – that of a life partner – is something that happens to most of us by chance, a fleeting moment that changes the course of our lives. Perhaps a conversation at a house party, a random meeting at a music event, or a fortuitous encounter through an online dating site.
A dear friend’s life was changed for the better when he was returning home from work one day. Deciding not to pop to the station kiosk, he hurtled up the station steps to try and catch a train about to depart. Looking up at the carriage window, he recognised an old flame he had not seen in over a decade. He banged on the window, and ran to the door of the carriage. They had one train stop together to catch up on a decade of life, after which phone numbers were swapped. Five years later they have built a life together, and created new life with a beautiful baby boy.
What if he hadn’t taken the train but stopped at the kiosk?
Life is like branches of a tree, every decision you make leads to other paths you may not previously have considered.
Finding love is not easy. It is not something you can just wish for and make happen. But you can increase your odds of meeting someone, by taking a chance, by giving yourself the broadest range of ways to meet people. So even if you are unsure online dating is for you, give it a try. Because you never know.
