3 cups of tea

I finished reading the book 3 cups of tea two weeks ago. It's a decent book, inspiring in its way, but the one story that I found the most remarkable in the book is the story about Greg and his wife.

Greg was "dating" some woman who was, in marine parlance, a fucking asshole. She leaves him for some guy with more whatever (money, security, etc.). Then he leaves for Pakistan to build a school. At some future date the asshole comes back and wants to be with him. He tells her to fuck off.

Then, at some black tie event, Greg meets his soon to be wife. They spend all night talking. She says "welcome to my life" and he responds "welcome to my heart". They spend the rest of the week hanging out together. Get married 7 days later. Procreate. Etc.

Of all the things in the book (kidnappings, abject poverty, etc.) this is the part that left me the most stunned. I'm sure this happens to people all the time, but every time I hear a story like this it revives the whole myth of meeting some person who is so perfect you can figure all of your relationship shit out in 7 days or less and go on to live happily ever after together. Most of me does not think I believe something like that could actually happen. But I guess part of me believes that it can.

In theory, at least. Of course, in theory there are 11 dimensions in the universe. Good luck experiencing any but the first 4.