Today, folks, I had a revelation of grand proportions. I have seen the light and discovered my life purpose... I am a kick-ass matchmaker.

That's right folks, my main reason for being on this here blue and green marble hurdling through space is to bring lovelorn birds of a feather together in bliss and happiness.

It goes something like this.

One of my favorite students last semester, we'll call him J, is this shy quiet kid with a wicked sense of humor. He's the kind of guy that if you didn't have a little brother, you'd want to adopt him just because. I told a group of my more out going female students that they needed to make friends with J because, quite honestly, he needed friends to bring him out of his shell. And he's totally one of those guys that I could picture being all protective and walk them home from the bar and what not.

Anyways.

One of the girls, we'll call her D, took me at my word. D's a really sweet girl--a bit of a drama queen but one of those genuinely nice people. So, she just walked up to J at the library one day, introduced herself, and proceeded to make friends.

That was Term II... fast forward to now.

D stays after class one day and asks if she can talk to me. Now, D had written this piece that made me worry about her a tiny--that she might be a little darker than she let on. After quickly assuring me she wasn't, she tells me she has boy problems.

Now, at this time I'm furiously juggling hats. Do I answer this girl's questions as an instructor, friend, sister...?

At first she tells me that she's having boy problems, that a boy I know likes her. She pauses. It occurs to me that it is J, and that perhaps he likes her and D, having a boyfriend and all, does not reciprocate.

She assures me that this is not the case. She reciprocates. She can't tell any of her friends though, because they already disapprove of the friendship based on the fact that D has a boyfriend.

Silently, by the way, I'm cheering for J because he's finally found a girl that is interested in him. I'm also imagining myself smacking him on the forehead as he's found a girl that, despite her growing fondness, is otherwise unavailable.

To make a long story short, I put on my sister/friend hat and tell D that she has to follow her heart, not to cheat, and to be honest--is she crushing on J because the boyfriend is far away and she likes having someone interested in her, or is she really truly falling for J? She tells me that I've confirmed what she's been feeling and not to worry as she is not rushing into anything. She's going to wait and see if she still feels this way after a week and talking to the boyfriend.

A week goes by and she informs me that not only has she broken up with the boyfriend, but that she is going fishing with J. She's never been fishing. She tells me that she's happier than she's been in a long time and not to worry, she's taking it slow. She hasn't even kissed him yet.

She proceeds to tell me that I'm to blame for this, that J and her discussed my blame extensively. I tell her that she can thank me by inviting me to their wedding.

Truthfully, I'm a little envious of this budding relationship. I mean, I'm very excited for them but I miss that feeling they have right now--being all excited just to spend time with someone, to hold their hand, that weird queasy fluttery feeling in the stomache. I'm glad I had a hand in pushing these two together--however slight a hand it may be--but can't help but wonder WTF, man?! Why the hell can't I make my OWN love life as sweetly, innocently exciting as this?

Labels: students, teaching