The moment he kissed me, I thought Id be with him for the rest of my life. Standing in the middle of a moonlit street corner with nothing but a street lamp watching over us. His arms were wrapped around me. He held me close to his chest. I honestly believed and felt deep within my chest that Id smell that smell, fabric softener and cigarettes, for the rest of my life. Each night, we would talk for hours. And just as he did the night that we very first kissed, he would say goodbye to me with the same sweet kiss with only a streetlamp to chronicle our times together. When I arrived at my home each night, I would lay in my bed, clutching my pillow and thinking of him. I was thirteen years old and this went on for over a year. He was very dear to me. I might even say that we could have been each others first loves. He got married a week ago to a girl he began dating shortly after me. Hes successful, happy and so am I. I wasnt invited to the wedding and we havent spoken in some time. The point is - lightning struck us at thirteen.

As I began my high school career, I was not aware that lightning could strike more than once and in the exact same spot! To this day, I ponder the knowledge I may have now should I have actually attended Earth Science class or Biology. Six months in to my high school career, I met him.

We had actually met over the summer once and it turned out that his biology class was coincidentally right next to my locker. He thought my name was Kate and I thought his name was Lou. He thought my locker was the first one to the left, when it was actually the second one to the left. He was two or three years my senior, but one phone call from the girl whose locker was next to mine led to three years of another so-called love affair in my life. We were a Bon Jovi song moving at the speed of Shakiras hips. Alas, the lightning had struck me, as well as he. Unfortunately, we were too young to know what was for our own good. And after he graduated, I was left in the same atmosphere which our relationship had bloomed. The timing was off, our lessons were learned and we will always (like it or not) be a very large part of who we are as individuals today. He has been very happily married for over two years. I wasnt invited to his wedding either.

Youre probably wondering where I am taking you with this journey through my ridiculous youthful love life, but it gets better. I once received an email from someone saying something to the affect that people come in to your life for a reason, a season or a lifetime. I believe it is true. My relationships with these boys struck me with love like lighting hits a tree in a hurricane. There were in my life for a reason and stayed for a season. I was meant to learn love and that love can happen to many people, many times, over and over again. Which leads me to the latest him of my life. He was my college sweetheart. Five years of action, adventure, soul-searching and figuring out exactly what we wanted in life other than each other. We met at a community college on a bright autumn day. After Mr. High school, I didnt believe that Id ever find that best friend/gorgeous prince charming again, but I did.

He was sitting on a bench, smoking a cigarette. He was wearing a black sweatshirt, baggy blue jeans and Mickey Mouse shoes (like the ones he wore in Fantasia). I wondered how someone who looked so smooth, aloof, alluring could also be so adorable. I walked right up to him and asked him for a hug. He said YES!

An hour later, I saw him by a tree in the courtyard. I asked him for ANOTHER hug. He gave it to me. So then I said, You give great hugs. Will you marry me? Of course the boy with the Mickey Mouse shoes said yes. I slipped my sterling silver ring off my finger and slipped it on to his pinky finger. I proceeded to say If were going to be married, dont you think we should have each others phone numbers?

We were the best of friends, knowing each other inside and out. We traveled to many places. We lived together. We honestly grew up together. We were like Sonny and Cher, so right, but something just wasnt working. He randomly called off our engagement leaving me wondering if finding love again would be possible.

Five years after our hug on the bench, hes living New York City pursuing a career as a jazz musician, while Im freelancing everything. I against thought he was the one. The lighting had struck me again and I still get butterflies when I think of my hurricane boys. Each was a best friend. Each was a loving, kind and passionate, intelligent gentleman with a bright future for himself and quite possible one for the both of us. Naturally there were the in-between, the rebounds and the hook-ups along the way. I never lied. I never cheated and I just killed time between storms. But even those men taught me things.

After my college romance, I met a man named Ryan. He did something for me that no man or boy had ever done before for me in my entire life. He touched my face.

Two years prior to meeting him, I had suffered a chemical burn to my face (not that I was very fond of my face to begin with). At the time I had met Ryan, not only had my self-esteem crumbled like a gingerbread house with a mallet, but again I did not believe that I would ever allow myself to fee the fresh rain, listen to the sound of thunder or let myself be struck by lighting ever again. Until Ryan touched my face.

The did more for me more than make me feel beautiful. He made me realize that lighting can strike over and over again. That love happens when you let it and the only thing stopping you is yourself. Fear is the only thing that can ever stop anyone. Ryan turned out to be a three-date wonder (three dates and you wonder why he didnt return your call). He came in to my life for a reason and I learned from him.

Last week, I interviewed a man named Richard. He had fallen in love ONCE in his lifetime. She broke his heart and he vowed never again to fall in love although he still insists upon beginning relationships with women who feel otherwise. He is afraid that the lightning will strike him again and leave him like a tree split in half. I believe that after our interview, Richard will let go of his fear of lighting and finally allow himself to walk in to the hurricane again.