Just Sayin’
I can hardly believe my husband and I will celebrate 20 years together as a couple this year. I feel like our first date was just yesterday. Over the years, I’ve lovingly joked on-air about how we met when he was “caller nine.” That’s not entirely true. But, technically, we did meet through radio! Here’s what happened.
I was co-hosting a morning show on a station in West Palm Beach, Florida. One day, I received an email from a listener asking if I was single or attached. Literally, that’s all it said. For no good reason I quickly replied, “very single.” I remember laughing a little to myself as I hit send because I had just gotten out of a pretty-long, not-so-great relationship. I was happily single and definitely not looking!
I didn’t think much else of it until the next day when I received a reply. This mystery listener sent me a photo of himself and another short note asking me to take a look. If I was interested, let him know. Well, I took one look at his picture and could hardly believe my eyes. He was absolutely gorgeous. After my bad luck with relationships, I figured there must be something wrong with him! This was just too good to be true.
We spoke on the phone a few times and decided to meet for dinner. By the end of the meal, we were eating off each other’s plates and practically finishing each other’s sentences. We definitely had a connection and for the first time in my life, I found myself in a healthy, stable, amazing relationship. I had not only found true love, but I found my soul mate. Coming from a divorced home as a child, I never dreamed of those things. I never imagined a prince sweeping me off my feet. I wasn’t so sure that was in the cards for me. But I was so sure that I had met the one, I wrote him a letter after one of our first dates and told him that I had no doubt that we were meant to be forever. I gave him that letter on our wedding day. Gosh, any sooner and he might have run for the hills! Ha!
Anyway, I feel really lucky and I don’t take it for granted. I know a love like ours is hard to find and I know what it’s like to be in unhealthy, toxic relationships. If you’re single and looking, or like me back then, happily single, my one piece of advice is to know your worth and don’t settle. Life’s too short to sell yourself short or to stay in a miserable situation. We all deserve love and happiness.
It’s so out of character for him to have sent me a “single or attached” email! It wasn’t exactly like me to write back “very single.” But, if either of us hadn’t taken a leap of faith, we never would’ve found each other. Take the chance. It just might lead to something pretty incredible.
By: Q104 personality Jenny Matthews
Jenny Matthews was on the air at Mix 93.3 for 15 years and in 2019 moved to Q104 to co-host The Morning Drive with Mike Kellar + Jenny Matthews, 6:00 to 10:00 a.m., Monday through Friday. Check out her podcast, Real Life with Jenny Matthews, follow along with her blog and connect at jennymatthewsonair.com.
