Tales From the Front by Cheryl Lavin

When it came to romance, Matt figured he had a capital L on his forehead — loser. He first fell in love in grade school. Crissie dumped him once they got to high school. "I was devastated." But after she broke up with her boyfriend, he was ecstatic that she took him back. As a bonus, she taught him everything she'd learned about sex. Then she broke up with him again and went back with her boyfriend.

"Needless to say, I was even more heartbroken the second time, and thought I'd never find love again."

Matt had a few strikes against him, even without the Crissie crisis. He'd been born with one chest muscle and struggled with a drug addiction.

"Because of my slight disfigurement, I thought I'd never find someone to love me or even like me. I had a terrible sense of self-worth and was depressed."

When he was 24, Matt got a chest implant to cover the missing muscle. "At the time, I thought my life would finally be normal. But I guess the damage was already done, because I continued to abuse drugs for the next 22 years. My depression and sadness fueled my desire to get high and block out the real world."

At one point, Matt married another drug addict who prostituted herself for money to buy drugs. "I guess I figured no one else would love me. My life consisted of drugs, jail and heartache."

Nov. 13, 2009, is a day Matt will never forget. He was arrested again and faced another prison sentence.

Last month, Matt celebrated two years of sobriety.

After a lifetime of drugs and depression, Matt had few skills and says the computer "scared the crap out of me. Little did I know that the Internet would be my salvation." He tried a few dating web sites and even went on a few dates.

"Then I hit the jackpot. I met Judy on line. We talked some and met at a local Starbucks. When I first saw her, my heart nearly jumped out of my chest. She had beautiful long black hair and big brown eyes. I instantly knew she was going to be my wife.

"We talked for about an hour, then she kissed me on the cheek and left. I felt like a little boy with a big crush, which in a way I was. Anyone who knows anything about drugs will tell you that an addict stops maturing the moment he or she starts using."

After a year of dating and several break-ups — Matt says they were caused by his immaturity — he finally started to grow up "and be the man God intended me to be."

He and Judy have been together for a year and a half. They're engaged and are getting married next month. "All I wanted was someone to love, and I finally got her!"

Matt thinks the hero of this story is the Internet. His says, "Finding my soul mate would have never happened without it." I have to disagree. Matt's the real hero.

The holidays — relationship booster or buster? Send your tale, along with your questions, problems and rants to cheryllavinrapp@gmail.com. To find out more about Cheryl Lavin, and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit www.creators.com.

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