The relationship that once was

Despite being 38 years of age, I was once in a relationship but this sadly ended due to the issue of immigration. Also the person whom I was in a relationship with has now moved on as she has met someone else. Meeting her though was a story in itself.

In 2008, I came into contact with this female Aspie through Facebook. I was 36 years of age and despite being this age, she was my first real girlfriend. It was on a trip to the United States that I met up with her in the central part of the United States. I met her in October 2008, and we spent 2 weeks together. It was a really happy period in my life as it was the first time I experienced love and happiness.

I have to be admired for my brave achievements. Can you imagine traveling on a plane out of New York to the central part of the United States of America? How would you feel not knowing anyone there and traveling over the centre of the country to a distant place? This is how I felt as I traveled from New York to the centre of America. I can remember looking out of the window of the plane as it flew across darkness. I could see the flickering lights of the mid west as I approached the airport. I looked out of the plane window and could see a layer of cloud as it approached. Then the plane made its decent into the airport. As both she and I were to meet for the first time, I could recognise her by her brown coat and a "Welcome Garry" sign. She was there with her brother and I can remember hugging for the first time and holding her hand. I remember observing the mid western town around me and meeting with her parents. Coming from a different culture, I was not used to coffee and no bread or cereal for breakfast which both she and her family had on offer.

As it was a long distance relationship, sadly it was never going to work as immigration made it impossible. Both she and I did become engaged, and I even purchased a ring. I did not have a career path nor a means of living in the United States. More importantly what would become of me if I lived in American and things did not work out? It was just impossible and both she and I have moved on now. She has since become engaged to someone else and I have moved on myself. It is an experience worth writing about though because I experience fond memories. I received lots of nice cards and happy letters. When I look back on it, I think it was a very brave adventure. It was perhaps even the hand of God providing divine intervention in shaping the lives of two people. If Asperger Syndrome does not exist then why do some people on the spectrum have very interesting stories? I have many other interesting stories to tell like the one above mentioned. At a seminar with Dr Tony Attwood I read out the relationship I had while I stood beside Tony as he supported me as I read it. This was the relationship that once was.