𝚆𝚑𝚎𝚗 𝙸 𝚏𝚒𝚛𝚜𝚝 𝚖𝚎𝚝 𝙼𝚊𝚛𝚢, 𝙸’𝚕𝚕 𝚊𝚍𝚖𝚒𝚝—𝚜𝚑𝚎 𝚠𝚊𝚜𝚗’𝚝 𝚠𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝙸 𝚑𝚊𝚍 𝚒𝚖𝚊𝚐𝚒𝚗𝚎𝚍. 𝙸 𝚑𝚊𝚍 𝚖𝚢 𝚑𝚎𝚊𝚍 𝚌𝚘𝚖𝚙𝚕𝚎𝚝𝚎𝚕𝚢 𝚠𝚛𝚊𝚙𝚙𝚎𝚍 𝚞𝚙 𝚒𝚗 𝚏𝚘𝚘𝚝𝚢, 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝙸 𝚠𝚊𝚜𝚗’𝚝 𝚕𝚘𝚘𝚔𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚏𝚘𝚛 𝚊𝚗𝚢𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚎𝚕𝚜𝚎. 𝙼𝚊𝚛𝚢, 𝚝𝚑𝚘𝚞𝚐𝚑, 𝚠𝚊𝚜 𝚍𝚒𝚏𝚏𝚎𝚛𝚎𝚗𝚝. 𝚂𝚑𝚎 𝚑𝚊𝚍 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚜𝚙𝚊𝚛𝚔 𝚊𝚋𝚘𝚞𝚝 𝚑𝚎𝚛. 𝚂𝚑𝚎 𝚠𝚊𝚜 𝚌𝚘𝚗𝚏𝚒𝚍𝚎𝚗𝚝, 𝚎𝚗𝚎𝚛𝚐𝚎𝚝𝚒𝚌, 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚑𝚊𝚍 𝚗𝚘 𝚙𝚛𝚘𝚋𝚕𝚎𝚖 𝚜𝚙𝚎𝚊𝚔𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚑𝚎𝚛 𝚖𝚒𝚗𝚍. 𝙰𝚝 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚝𝚒𝚖𝚎, 𝙸 𝚠𝚊𝚜𝚗’𝚝 𝚜𝚞𝚛𝚎 𝚑𝚘𝚠 𝚝𝚘 𝚝𝚊𝚔𝚎…

When I first met Mary, I’ll admit—she wasn’t what I had imagined. I had my head completely wrapped up in footy, and I wasn’t looking for anything else. Mary, though, was different. She had this spark about her. She was confident, energetic, and had no problem speaking her mind. At the time, I wasn’t sure how to take that. I was used to a quieter, more reserved crowd, people who didn’t challenge me or push me out of my comfort zone.

Mary did both.

The first time we really talked was at a friend’s party. I was standing on the sidelines, nursing a drink, when she walked right up to me and asked what I thought about the latest game. It wasn’t just a casual question; it was like she actually wanted to hear my opinion. I found myself opening up, talking about the plays, the players, the strategies. Usually, I wasn’t one to get so involved in conversations, but Mary’s genuine interest made it easy.

As the night went on, our conversation drifted from footy to music, to our dreams and plans. Mary wasn’t afraid to be honest about her ambitions. She talked about wanting to start her own business, travel the world, and make a difference in people’s lives. Her enthusiasm was contagious, and I found myself inspired.

Over the next few weeks, we spent more time together. Mary’s energy was impossible to ignore. She had a way of turning ordinary moments into something memorable. Whether it was a quick coffee after work or a spontaneous trip to the beach, she brought a sense of adventure and excitement that I hadn’t realized I was missing.

It wasn’t all easy, though. Mary’s confidence sometimes clashed with my more laid-back nature. There were moments when I felt overwhelmed or unsure, especially when she challenged my opinions or pushed me to try new things. But I also saw how much she cared—not just about me but about the people around her. She was fiercely loyal and had this incredible ability to make everyone feel seen and valued.

Slowly, I started to understand that Mary wasn’t just a distraction from my world of footy; she was expanding it. She showed me that there was more to life than what I had been focused on. She helped me see beyond the game, beyond the routine, to a bigger picture filled with possibilities.

In many ways, meeting Mary was a turning point for me. She made me question what I thought I wanted and encouraged me to explore new paths. She taught me the importance of confidence, of speaking up, and of embracing change.

Looking back now, I realize that Mary was exactly what I needed, even if I didn’t know it at the time. She challenged me, inspired me, and ultimately helped me grow into a better version of myself. And for that, I’ll always be grateful.