Baptism and relationship

I am posting early this week due to another upcoming busy schedule.

When I relocated to Toronto, I felt a deep need to strengthen my faith, which led me to contemplate the idea of baptism. I had previously attended faith classes before my move, but the notion of taking this significant step had not fully crystallized in my mind.

During that initial summer, I attended the Manitoulin Youth Conference, an experience that significantly impacted my spiritual journey. However, it was marked by an unfortunate incident on the highway. I was involved in a car accident on Highway 69, just south of the French River Trading Post, resulting in the rollover of my vehicle, a Kcar (Plymouth Reliant). The cause of the accident remained a mystery, but it was officially classified as a "not at fault" incident. The accident led to my helicopter evacuation to Sudbury for medical assessment.

While I received medical attention for a finger injury, it appears that a thorough evaluation for a possible head injury may have been overlooked, potentially contributing to subsequent memory issues. I distinctly remember wearing headbands with teeth at that time, which left a lasting indentation on my head. Approximately six weeks following this accident, I made the decision to undergo baptism as a significant milestone in my faith journey.

Upon my initial relocation to Toronto, I distinctly remember grappling with a profound sense of solitude. Fortunately, I had swiftly formed a close friendship with Heidi, who lived in close proximity, providing a comforting presence. There were moments when I found myself in my room, fervently beseeching for feelings of love and the alleviation of my profound loneliness.

During this period, I encountered a young man sporting long, shaggy hair, whom I endeavored to match with my friend Heidi. As fate would have it, he subsequently cut his hair, and we soon embarked on a romantic relationship. Remarkably, exactly two years after our inaugural date, we solemnized our union in matrimony.

Regrettably, my recollections of those years are somewhat sparse. I can, however, affirm that our first date consisted of watching the movie "Waterboy." My memory challenges have an unexpected silver lining – the ability to watch movies repeatedly, each time feeling as though I am experiencing them anew.

Our involvement in young people's gatherings, organized by affiliated churches in Southern Ontario, marked a departure from typical couples and young individuals. While others engaged in various sports and physical activities like volleyball, soccer, football, floor hockey, and ice hockey, we opted to simply sit together and engage in conversation. My spouse, in particular, was not particularly inclined towards athleticism or socializing, with his sole sports interest revolving around baseball, a sport he was employed in at the SkyDome before our marriage.

At the time of our wedding, we were exceptionally young, with my own age being just 20, having celebrated my birthday merely two weeks before the wedding. Growing up within our faith community, there was an implicit expectation for young people to marry and establish families at a relatively early age compared to other belief systems. While the reasons behind this custom remained somewhat elusive, it was a widely understood notion that not marrying by a certain age would likely lead to enduring singlehood.

Fast forward to the present day, my eldest son will be turning 16 this upcoming summer. The prospect of him marrying in four years seems almost preposterous. He will still be in the final stages of his education, potentially attending college for two years, particularly if he pursues engineering, as he has expressed. In light of these considerations, it becomes evident that he will embark on the journey of matrimony at a more mature stage in life.

In offering guidance to my sons and other young individuals, my suggestion is unequivocal: prioritize completing your education, establishing a career, and building a solid foundation before considering marriage. Doing so is imperative because entering into a marriage without these elements in place can lead to significant challenges and stress for both partners. I encourage my sons to foster strong friendships with teenage girls and take the time to genuinely get to know them, as I firmly believe that a robust friendship during one's formative years carries greater significance than prematurely pursuing romantic relationships.