From Russia with Love

It always amazes me how people find one another. For Alex and Elena, the story is not unheard of but nonetheless a story of fateful paths crossing far from home.

Alex and Elena are both from the former Soviet Union - Alex from the Ukraine and Elena from Siberia. A testament to their personal courage they each left home as young adults without their families, Alex detouring through Israel for a few years before arriving in Canada.

Alex spoke little English when he got here but set out to working in Toronto, undiscouraged and optimistic. Elena, having studied English in University arrived in Canada in 2006 as a Nanny for a family in Timmins,ON.

Alex & Elena's story began at a party hosted by a Russian speaking woman who invited strangers - Russian speaking strangers - to mingle without having met one another. Brave? Perhaps. But away from one's family, the company of others who share things in common with you is like being transported home. It won't replace a mother's hug, but there was something about it for these two that drew them to one another.

 It's not hard to imagine these two sets of eyes meeting from across a room and these two young adventurers getting lost in one another's gentle disposition and kindness. But this is not their story at all. In fact, neither Alex nor Elena were single when they first met, but they later found themselves both bachelors and spent time brainstorming mates for one another. A classic case of overlooking what's right in front of us.

Alex and Elena married in 2009 and have spent the last couple of years building a nest for themselves, and most recently, transforming a tired house into a family home. The last few months we've spent getting to know them has reminded us of a few important things: The world is smaller than we think; the universe understands balance and kindness begets kindness; and the harder we work the luckier we are. These two also make me wonder if some things shouldn't change so much - the way Elena dotes on Alex and the way he, in turn, takes care of her is a lesson in friendship and love that is far from old fashioned.