My Reverse Cinderella Story

This heart painting for valentine's day is for my husband Arvin. I added swing music in the background to symbolize where our love story started. I've told this story many times to friends and family but here I am putting it in writing. My husband and I have an interesting love story. It's a real life fairy-tale so I feel like it should be recorded. Our story begins almost 10 years ago when I first moved to Vancouver Island, Canada.

Some Background

I moved from Ontario, Canada to Vancouver Island, Canada at the age of 18. I was in search of a fresh start, away from the traumas of my childhood. I was pretty much set on moving as far west as I could to discover myself. It started with a Skype call to a big house of young students. I was looking for a room to rent. The next week I was flying out with a one way ticket and a single suitcase in tow.

Once arriving to Victoria I learned all my roommates participated in a swing dance community. I jumped on the opportunity so quickly and became hooked with the positive energy the community had. The dances were a beautiful start to my time here. After my first few dances I started volunteering with the swing dance society. This volunteering went from running door shifts to helping setup and take down the dances. I met so many lovely people while doing this.

And Now Our Love Story

My future husband Arvin was a new dancer to the community. He joined the dance community around the same time as me. Looking to meet new people and have fun. He was in the Canadian Navy at the time and wanted to have fun while he wasn't sailing. I remember inviting him to a blues dance to try out a new style. I had gotten into volunteering for these blues dances and really wanted more of my swing friends to join.

Arvin joined me between sails for this blues dance. After the dance ended, I had closed up and got on the bus home. On my way home I noticed a message request from Arvin.

A little look at our first text convo. I've never shared this before but here it is. September 28, 2013

This text would change the course of my life forever. As the text says he left his shoes at the dance. Classic right? I ended up holding onto his stinky dance shoes for the next two months because he was about to go on a sail.

Over these two months we talked everyday. I had never met anyone so kind. Arvin wanted to actually talk and get to know me. He even offered to send me postcards while he was away. We laughed a lot and joked about all the fun trips we could go on together. A true friendship was forming. I had never gotten to know someone so quickly. Honestly the rest is history. When he got back and we hangout for the first time I knew he was my person. And it's all because of his stinky shoes. <3 A revered roles Cinderella story in real life.

So this painting is for my husband, my best friend and life partner. I wouldn't want to do life any other way.