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I don’t talk about things like that:

(Posted by Ron)

I finally realized the oil business was not for me.  In 1984 I interviewed with a gentleman for a position as VP of Finance at the investment company he owned.  Little did I know how big this defining moment was going to be in my life.  After being hired I found working for him to be fun and exciting.  He was a financially successful man who thrived on risk and opportunities.   Over the four years I was there I traveled, of course, and sadly, it was during that time that my marriage finally ended.

Gayle and I had reconnected after I returned to Dallas and were now in a relationship.  In fact we were seriously considering marriage.  The fact that she was 15 years younger than me just didn’t seem important to either of us.  During this time my boss and his wife attended a personal development workshop and he came back to the office convinced that all of his employees should attend.  He called me into his office and asked if I would trust him enough to attend without knowing the subject.  He would pay for it and give me the time off to attend.  Well, I was nobody’s fool.  If my boss wanted me to do something like this and was paying; of course I would go.  I remembered my experience with the career counselor in the Navy.  Now was not the time to say no.

In August 1986 I went to a local hotel on Friday night with my briefcase, notepads, and my shirt and tie.  I was ready for an intense business workshop.  It was then known as YOU Seminars.  I didn’t know who he was at the time but YOU was owned by Dr. Phil McGraw and another Clinical Psychologist who presented the workshops in Dallas.  It was certainly not a business workshop!  When I walked in and saw everyone dressed in black with frowns on their faces I realized I might have made a mistake in coming.

A few minutes later I knew I was in the wrong place.  YOU Seminars was one of the psychologically based, self development seminars that were popular in the 1980’s and 1990’s.  In that first weekend I was angrier than I had been in a very long time.  How dare they delve into my personal life and refuse to let me avoid participation!  I wasn’t a quitter, though, so I decided to stick it out until Sunday night.  I certainly had no intention of returning for the second session that began 10 days later.

My boss was kind (and cagey) about it and did not push.  He did encourage me to return, though.  For some reason during those 10 days I decided I was going to finish what I had started and this time it was my decision.  I walked out of the second session on Sunday night a different man.  Not only had I experienced phenomenal personal growth, but also had seen what I considered to be miracles in others.  I was hooked.

~Know somebody in a relationship with an age difference? Or someone who could benefit from relationship tips, tricks, and tools?

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