We met at Southwest Junior High in Lawrence, KS in 2003. We were both on the track and cross-country teams. I was 13 and Greg was a year older.

My first impression of Greg, and the one that I sustained throughout that time was how dedicated, disciplined, and hard-working he was. I noticed he was quiet and shy, but always respectful. We didn’t speak much at all other than good cheer during races and practices. Greg was definitely more in the elite athlete category, and I admired his tenacity.

At the end of my eighth-grade year, I (Mariya) decided to send letters to 20 different students, teachers, and staff at Southwest. My goal was to share things I noticed about them, share what I appreciated. These weren’t all close friends of mine. Some were people I’d barely even spoken with but had characteristics and qualities that I wanted to express my appreciation for. Greg was one of those special people. I handed him a folded piece of notebook paper with a letter written in green pen on the last day of school in May 2003.

We didn’t speak again for 16 years.

We became friends on Facebook during that time, but still didn’t have direct contact.

In December 2019, I wrote a poem. I’d been an avid writer throughout my teens and early adulthood but had disconnected from this creative side while immersed in more analytical studies as an adult. That winter, I had made the decision to rekindle my creative self. So, I wrote a poem, and I posted it on Facebook.

A few hours later, Greg commented in response to my post, asking about what I wrote and adding a few lines of his own poetry in return. So, I answered, and the conversation continued and deepened.

We started chatting back and forth on Facebook and then by phone. At first, it was just nice to reconnect with someone from a long time ago, but we had no intention taking the conversation anywhere in particular. In a few short months, we had caught up on 16 years of life and then some since we hadn’t known each other closely in the past. Having been uprooted from my hometown in Lawrence, KS for so long, it was comforting to be in touch with someone who understood the same locale – its unique feel, its schools, local venues, and its culture.

When talking with Greg, I noticed his kindness most of all. Compassion exuded from him, and I didn’t really know what to do with it. But we kept talking.

I had plans to go to Costa Rica for my 30th birthday in February of 2020. I was being called to visit, but I was still unclear about my plans. Knowing myself to be an adventurer in my soul, I was longing to reclaim this part of myself and to get out for a while after having a lot of years of building a foundation for myself in sobriety, school, and personal growth activities. One day, out of nowhere, I casually decided to ask Greg if he wanted to join me on the trip to Costa Rica, and he enthusiastically said yes! He says it was one of the best decisions of his life. (I'd have to agree it was for me too).

We began to work as a team as we planned and organized to make our grand adventure come to life. It was at that time that I began to feel curious tugs in my heart. I woke up one morning a few weeks before the trip thinking to myself, “I’m going to marry this guy.” I texted my friend and told her this and we laughed and giggled because I knew it in my bones. It was easy. It flowed. And I could trust him.

So, Greg and I met in person once again, after a 16-year break in our hometown of Lawrence, KS. The next night we were bound for Costa Rica and shared an experience of a lifetime. We had a blast. We shared depth. We cried. We laughed. We honored the earth and appreciated her majesty and her wisdom. Most of all, we flowed, and we both knew at that time that the search for partnership was over.

We’ve been building our life together ever since, intentionally, bit by bit. Learning, growing, and expanding our individual paths and weaving them into a creation that brings healing to all that we touch.

It's been an honor to have reunited - adventure partners in life. We share a deep commitment to growing, healing, spirituality, and being of service. Awakened Roots is built on this foundation and is a creation born from the blending of our hearts and spirits. We continue to learn, grow, nurture, and balance each other, and appreciate the beauty and the lessons (sometimes very difficult ones) of what relating teaches us. Our hope is to be able to share with you the tapestry we have woven so far, and invite you to shape it with us. For we are all related.