Treasure found

One of the joys I’ve experienced with online dating is discovering amazing men. I wrote about this in “Dating as networking.”

A year ago, I received a well-written email from an intelligent, engaging, articulate, educated, feisty, 64-year-old man. He was older than I prefer, lives 3000 miles away, and had no picture posted. However, his well-crafted note prompted me to send an expanded version of my “Thanks, but you live too far away” email. He responded that he was moving to my area soon, would be here in a few weeks and, if I allowed, would love to meet me. We talked by phone several times before his visit. His charming, witty, engaging, playful manner enticed me to accept his invitation.

Sam OniIn the weeks between that first email and our dinner date, I learned Sam was the first black man to attend a well-known Southern college in the early ’60s. The discrimination he endured and how he dealt with it was so intriguing, the 1995 book The Stem of Jesse. The Costs of Community at a 1960s Southern School was written about him and his experience.

This Monday Sam Oni was featured in two articles in the Macon Telegraph “Man holds no grudge after church rejection 40 years ago,” and “A Sunday School lesson impossible to forget.”

Sam is one of my treasures. Although he ended up not moving to my area, we stay in contact through monthly calls and have created a great friendship. If I had just blown him off, I wouldn’t have had the opportunity to have this amazing man in my life.

Technorati Tags:,,,,,,,

Explore posts in the same categories: Dating after 40, Dating chemistry, Getting your dating attitude on, Playing the online dating game

2 Comments on “Treasure found”


  1. […] With a new brand of chocolates — without that important “key” — you have no idea what you’re getting. So you have to take a risk and try a little nibble. You may be pleasantly surprised to find a new taste treat in an unknown shape. Sometimes coffee (a nibble) with a new guy will reveal a treasure in someone you might not have thought you’d like. (See my postings on “Yummy is as yummy does” and “Treasure found.”) […]


  2. […] With a new brand of chocolates — without that important “key” — you have no idea what you’re getting. So you have to take a risk and try a little nibble. You may be pleasantly surprised to find a new taste treat in an unknown shape. Sometimes coffee (a nibble) with a new guy will reveal a treasure in someone you might not have thought you’d like. (See my postings on “Yummy is as yummy does” and “Treasure found.”) […]


Leave a comment