Cheryce: After years of being an “optimistic divorcee”, that optimism started to dwindle. I had felt disappointment in this season plenty of times but that faith and optimism, though shaky at times, remained in tact. However, enough was enough and around 2023/2024 my mindset surrounding dating, relationships, and love took a turn. I came to the realization that love might not be part of my destiny…that the remainder of my life may be spent alone. I made peace with this possibility. Did that mean that I was happy about it or that my desire for companionship disappeared? No, but I accepted it and vowed to continue to live my life to the fullest with or without a romantic relationship.

With this epiphanic acceptance came the decision to stop dating. It seemed pointless and had never really been enjoyable to me anyway. First dates, repeatedly sharing my favorite color or movie, and 6-9 week “situationships” had become exhausting and demotivating. I was over it all and adamant about it.

June 2024 comes around and I attend my good friends’ 20 year vow renewal in Mexico. It was one of the most breathtakingly beautiful displays of opulence and black love that I had ever experienced. There were so many gorgeous couples in attendance loving on each other, but outside of that, it was just a big group of Black people enjoying and loving one another, committed and single alike. I was inspired. A modicum of hope and optimism returned, enough for me to give dating and love one more good ol’ college try!

I jumped back on the dating sites with the intention to put in real effort. I told myself that if this was something I really wanted, I’d put in the necessary energy and work hard for it, just like I do with other goals. I ended up back in the cycle of talking, first dates, and situationships, I even got ghosted, lol. One thing that I did differently this time around was not wallow when something didn’t work out. I just moved on to the next.

At the beginning of December, John and I matched on Facebook Dating. I’m trying to make this long story not as long, lol. We ended up dating for about 6 weeks, and it didn’t work out. We wished each other a nice life and bid each other adieu. Idk about on his end, but on my end he was blocked and deleted and I moved right along.

He “liked” me again on Facebook Dating in March. After a couple of message/text exchanges, we briefly lost touch again and reconnected on April 21st. We ended up talking things out, got some understanding, and we’ve been together ever since.

After 20 years of being divorced and being so unlucky in love, I found my “at last”. When I thought God had forsaken me in that area, He was preparing us to properly love each other while also orchestrating the perfect time for us to unite!

I found a prayer in one of my journals from April 21, 2018 (notice the date??). I was telling God everything I wanted in a husband. I was extremely thorough and detailed. John meets almost all of my desires on that list and also gives me things I didn’t even know I needed.

Happy does not even describe how it feels to love and be loved by him. God has blessed us beyond measure! I cannot WAIT to start forever with John and become Mrs. Johnson!🫶🏾

John: From the beginning, our story wasn’t perfect — but it was real. We stumbled, we learned, we took time apart… and somehow, through it all, God gently led us back to each other. What we have now isn’t rushed or naive — it’s chosen, it’s tested, and it’s rooted in faith.

You are one of the smartest people I know. The way you think, the way you see the world, and the way you challenge me to grow makes me better every single day. And your humor — it’s my favorite part of every hard day. No matter what life throws at us, we find a way to laugh. That’s rare.

We both walked through heartbreak. We both once believed remarriage might not be in our future. But God had a different plan. He showed us that healing is possible. That love can come back stronger. That two people who have learned from the past can build something even more meaningful together.

You’re not just the woman I love — you’re my best friend. My peace. My answered prayer. What we have is built on honesty, faith, second chances, and the deep understanding that comes from having lived a little life before finding each other.

And this time, it’s not just about falling in love.

It’s about choosing each other every day — with gratitude, with maturity, and with God at the center.

I wouldn’t change our journey, because it led me right back to you.