I met one of the great loves of my life while watching the sunset — exactly where I was meant to be.
A year ago, I had just moved to San Diego and was sitting in my favorite REI camping chair on March 1 at Law Street Beach, soaking in the glow of the sky and the quiet rhythm of the ocean. As the sun dipped low, a lively group of 30-somethings wandered over and explained they were in the middle of a scavenger hunt for a friend’s birthday. One of the items on the list? Find his “future wife.”
I remember laughing to myself and thinking, “Wow, is it really this easy to find a husband in San Diego?”
There was a twist: bonus points if the “future wife” actually showed up at the party to end the hunt.
So, slightly amused and mostly curious, I went. Turns out, I was the only “future wife” who did — and just like that, I became the life of the party.
Ryan Johnson and Morgan Newmiller on Jan. 4 at a church in the Pacific Beach area. (Courtesy of Morgan Newmiller)
Ryan Johnson was part of the group that found me. From the beginning, there was a soul-level recognition — one of those connections that feels both grounding and expansive at the same time. Our bond has been real, meaningful and deeply loving. What makes it special is the mutual respect we share for each other’s evolution. We honor who we’ve been, who we are and who we’re becoming.
Loving someone doesn’t always look the way you expect. But when it’s rooted in presence, joy and growth, it’s still love.