Gosh, this thread, my creation, is sending me into a very maudlin, dark place. I lost my wife to both cancer and my own hard-heartedness. On my first Camino, I had just left a lady back home, I imagined she was "The One." Beautiful, respected lawyer, good (though not great) sailor and apparently in love with me. Even my kids liked her. But, my Camino was long planned and, with tears in her eyes, she just asked that I come back to her. You also know about the "Swiss Miss" of that same Camino. She plays a prominent part in my "factional" novel.
When I was injured, my lady back home pleaded with me to end my Camino, she said she would nurse me back to health. Each day, through emails, we talked about my Marine attitude and her need for me to come home. In my mind, I was in the moment. The Swiss Miss was part of that moment. I was reminded of the Garth Brooks song, "Unanswered Prayers"
And as she walked away and I looked at my wife (girl friend)
And then and there I thanked the good Lord
For the gifts in my life
I did make it home. The reunion was fantastic! Then, she said that, in a moment of sadness and worry about me, she sought comfort in an old boyfriend's arms. I was devastated! I told her we can not go on like this. I thought she understood. We stayed great friends. Then one day she cut herself, saying, "I was her reward for not hurting herself." I was torn and conflicted, but remained available when her dark night encroached into her days. Hired away, she moved to a higher paying job in a city several hours away. She would call me, as I said she always could, at anytime of day. Each summer, I travel to Maine to teach sailing. That one summer, I was called by her previous boss who told me she had died.
Finding "the One" is a quest in life that follows many twists and turns. It spans your existence from initial discovery, through sharing of special moments, possibly to marriage and, as I often said to my boer meisie, "I just want to grow old gracefully, wrapped in your arms."
Five Caminos, and counting. I've met many a lady that could have been "the One." Hope springs eternal.