What is Love? Allison and Chris
“I knew very early on that she was the girl for me. There was no other consideration; I just hoped she felt the same way.”
Allison and Chris live together in Ojai, California, a scenic, a sleepy town outside Los Angeles, surrounded by pixie fields, farms, and wineries. They have a young son and are currently expecting a daughter in May. They started working together in June 2014 after Chris had been relocated to the L.A office from New York City. Allison relocated from New York a year earlier, and there were now working on the same team. They got to know each other at work and after three months in the friend zone, they started dating.
I couldn’t wait to speak to Allison and Chris about what makes a successful relationship and see what love means to them.
Chris said, “I knew very early on that Allison was the one. Whenever we were at the office I would suggest going out for a coffee or a drink afterward. Eventually, I asked her over to dinner at my apartment. My roommate and his girlfriend were there, candles may have been lit - It was a surprise date.”
Allison added, “When he asked me over for dinner, my friend said that he must like me, I was naive and didn’t think that was the case. After we had had dinner, we all went for a walk on the beach. The others disappeared, and Chris declared his feelings for me. I did not expect it all but it was very romantic. We started dating two days later and have been inseparable ever since.”
Soon after they started dating they took a trip to Ojai together and fell in love with the town, and shortly after, each other. Eighteen months later, they revisited Ojai for Allison’s birthday and that’s when Chris proposed. However, it didn’t go quite as planned. Chris wanted to propose at Meditation Mount, a sanctuary overlooking the Ojai Valley. It had rained pretty hard that morning, and the way up was washed out. Chris explained, “I didn’t have a backup plan, and so on the spur of the moment, I suggested going to the scenic overlook of the town.”
Allison said. “I was beginning to get suspicious and very hopeful.’
Once there, Chris proposed whilst others driving by, their witnesses, clapped and honked their horns. They were married the following May, in Ojai, of course.
When asked what was it was about one another that made them want to settle down, Allison explained, “With everyone I had dated before there was never that feeling. With Chris, I could see forever. He was so thoughtful and loving; a gentleman who always put me first. I had felt a love and commitment from him that I had never felt before, and I knew early on that he was the one I wanted to build a family with.”
Chris said, “I knew Allison was the girl for me; I knew before we even started dating. It’s a comfort thing; it felt natural. There was no other consideration to me; I just hoped she felt the same way.”
Emmaleen: Can you tell us a loving story from your relationship?
Chris: “Every once in a while I’ll catch Allison staring at me. Not in a creepy way. She’ll get lost thinking about us and our family. I tell her it makes me uncomfortable and ask her to stop, but I actually like it. It’s cute.”
Allison: “Chris is very affectionate. I’m not, well I wasn’t. Once we got together I found it was very easy to be loving with Chris. Every morning when we wake up before we even open our eyes, we both say, “I love you.”
What is the key to a happy relationship?
Allison: “Respecting and trusting the person you’re with.”
Chris: “I agree, and a sense of partnership. Also, if there is ever a disagreement between us, which isn’t very often at all, the key is not to take it too seriously. We’re in it together.”
What is Love?
Allison: “It truly is indescribable. For me, I admire his qualities as a person and a partner. It makes me want to be better. Growing together is very important.
Chris: “It’s unquantifiable. As a feeling, it is arguably about being comfortable with the other person. And you can’t fake it or ignore it. It just has to feel easy.”
So what is their advice to anyone looking for love?
Allison: “It has to be easy. Don’t try to make it work. When it happens you’ll know it was worth the wait.”
Chris: “Love yourself enough to trust the process. You can’t force it. If a relationship is difficult, it’s for a reason. You’ll find the person you’re meant to be with. Just give it the time.”
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