An Intentional First Date Starts with a Kiss: Richard Bagdonas

Richard is here to tell us the man's side of the romantic love story we were introduced to by his wife, Tina Schweiger, in episode ONE and TWO. I wanted to sit down with Richard and explore how his life was impacted by his initial encounter with Tina. We're going to learn a bit more about Richard's journey from a painful divorce, through "four or so years of dating," to the moment he met Tina.

In this part 1 of Richard's story we talk about healing from past relationships, about recovering from codependency, and into his journey of recovery and self-discovery. 

"Taking a year to really work on me, and be happy with me..." As Richard rebuilt a house in the Zilker area of Austin, Texas, he was aware of how the house was a metaphor of his self-recovery process. "I worked on the entryway of me. And then I had to work on the inside. I need to open up space, and make space for somebody."

He talks about his purpose in raising two healthy kids, and staying intentionally present in his relationship to Tina. 

Here are the books we discuss in this episode of Love on the Air

• The 5 Love Languages: The Secret to Love that Lasts - Gary Chapman
• The Four Agreements: A Practical Guide to Personal Freedom - Don Miguel Ruiz
• Codependent No More: How to Stop Controlling Others and Start Caring for Yourself - Melody Beattie
• The Messy Middle: Finding Your Way Through the Hardest and Most Crucial Part of Any Bold Venture - Scott Belsky