One night in 1995 I had a dream about meeting a man who would love me for myself, my INNER self. I woke up from that dream saying no no no. I had not had the best of results from the men in my life. Since 1992 I had been in a state of intense dismay and anger, and yet here I was having the kind of dream that assured me I would someday find the man I had been meant for? Even to the point of showing me the moment I would know for certain who this man was? No no no!
And yet, in the dream I had taken the steps necessary to move forward, to cross a street and get close to this man, to say “There you are!” and see him smile.
Many years later, after Time mostly healed my wounds, I still had the images of the dream in my mind. It had never faded, even though I had tried very hard to make it go away. The dream had done its job: planted a seed that grew into the idea that I would someday meet my intended life partner.
Then my doctor wanted me to try water aerobics as a gentle physical therapy for joint and spine issues. I did not (and do not even now) know how to swim but he assured me it was not a requirement for the class so I gave it a try. The pool is where I first noticed Marco. Nearly every day that I was there he was among the lap swimmers, but he moved differently than they did. That is what caught my eye: he swam as though he was meant to live in the water, he moved gently with no noisy splashing, he was as much a part of the water as the water itself. It was beautiful to see.
Eventually my aerobics class fell apart, but I kept going. I liked being in the water, it did help my spine at that time, and by then I was addicted to watching Marco swim. Of course I did not know anything about him, we had never even said hello. Until one day when he swam over to me after he finished his laps and asked me if I wanted to learn how to swim. Of course I said no no no. He showed off a bit, doing a somersault, saying how easy it was. I said “Easy for you, but not for me.” We chatted a bit and then he said good bye and left the pool.
I still like to tease him about that morning because he does not remember talking to me at all. I obviously had not impressed him while I was in the water! But that day was the beginning of shy smiles and helloes between us, and eventually, in 2008 after my Dad had passed away, Marco and I began finally to talk a bit, mostly while we were soaking in the therapy pool after the morning’s workout. By the time of my 50th birthday in September of that year I was hoping that Marco was the man from my dream, but the actual dream conditions had not been fulfilled yet. I was being a little silly, I suppose, but I felt that I had to see The Man the way I had seen Him in the dream.
Then one day I needed to go to my bank, a short walk from the house. They were not open yet so I made a lap or two around the block and during the return leg of one of those laps I saw Marco waiting with his bicycle by the locked front door of the bank. My heart skipped a beat as I thought “Oh, look, there he is!” And as I walked the last steps forward, to be greeted by his beautiful smile, I felt myself blending into that long ago dream. My heart was singing “There you are! There you are!”
And the rest is history: the dream became a reality. One with its own twists and turns, of course, but always full of love, respect, curiosity for life, and incredible joy.
Debbie Zapata, October 2024
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The Power of Love: Beyond Hypnosis
First Impression about DEBBIE
The first time I saw DEBBIE walking, I was completely mesmerized. Her presence was so captivating that I couldn’t look away. In Mexico, there is a beautiful compliment for beautiful women: “CHULA TÚ.” Although I felt it was the perfect time to say it, I had always learned to be respectful of different cultures, so I never dared to mention it to her in her country.
A Special Encounter
Over time, our relationship solidified and DEBBIE became my formal partner. One day, during a television interview, I was offered to be hypnotized to improve my performance in an important event: the “Ultramarathon 6 Day Race.” At that moment, I was asked to choose a code word that would activate the hypnosis. Without thinking, I answered “DEBBIE.” It was a decision driven by curiosity, but it turned out to be a turning point in our relationship.
THE MAGIC OF LOVE
From that moment on, the bond we shared grew even stronger. However, I discovered that the true MAGIC OF LOVE did not necessarily require hypnosis. I learned that by facing my own WEAKNESSES, I could transform them into STRENGTHS, and that this path of self-knowledge and love is achieved thanks to the presence and support of DEBBIE. Her love inspires me to be better every day and invites me to discover the depth of OUR EMOTIONS TOGETHER.
