Finding out that I was matched this time came as quite a surprise. There had been much talk of that the 2nd Generation would not be matched this time around. Honestly, at the time I would not have minded if the matching had not taken place. I had just put to rest a bad experience from November '97, and I had been focusing most of my energy on getting a summer internship in London and studying for my final exam at university, which had just finished days before I found out about the matching. (I graduated from the London School of Economics and Political Science this July.) When I found out that none of my good friends were going to go, I was inches away from waiting until next time. But something told me that I should not miss this opportunity. I thought about what my Blessing would mean for God, the True Parents, my own parents, my lineage, my brothers and sisters. I felt more than anything else that I had a responsibility to go. In short, this time I went for all the right reasons.

Speaking to Grace for the first time was amazing. She called me the day she found out, four days before the Blessing. We talked for hours, getting to know each other. Grace is currently doing her first year of STF (CARP activities in America), and she plans to do another year before starting her studies. Her parents are Brian and Marjorie Hill, who have now moved to Denmark to take on their mission as National Messiah. Grace grew up in the South of the US, where her family lived until she graduated from high school one year ago. The more we talked, the more I realised that we complement each in so many ways. After I hung up the phone, I was so grateful. I just knew that we would both do our best to make this Blessing work. I had asked God for one thing, and one thing only: that my wife-to-be have a strong faith in God and the True Parents. And as I had just found out, this was certainly the case.

The few days in New York were a very intense experience. Some of the older Blessed Children in the US had organised a workshop for us, with many interesting and informative talks and testimonies, and we spent every free moment we had getting to know each other better. Meeting Grace for the first time is a moment I will never forget. We were both very tired from the long trips we had made to get to the city, but still managed to make what is essentially a very awkward experience a memorable one for both of us. It was also nice to meet many of my friends whom I had not seen for some time. The next morning, which was the day before the Blessing, Hyun Jin Nim came to give us our picture as the representative of the True Parents, and as the brothers sat on one side of the room and the sisters on the other, it was strange to realise that, even though I was only 21 years old, I could see no one there who was older than me. I thought about how much my life, and the lives of everyone else sitting down in that room, was going to change from that moment on. Although I have been at a couple of Blessing ceremonies as part of the audience before, nothing can prepare one for actually standing there on the floor. Grace and I were fortunate enough to be standing in the middle right at the very front. When the attending couples entered the stage, and it was announced that they represent the opening of the Gates of Heaven, it was just such an incredible feeling, as if all of my senses were awakened all at once, and chills ran down my spine.

True Parents seemed so relaxed at the front of the stage, and it again hit me what a great victory it was for them to be able to give out the Blessing so freely on earth, and to so many important people in history. Receiving the rings directly from True Parents was almost surreal, I just felt so unworthy to be standing there, and I made up my mind to accept the ring not on my own behalf, but on behalf of my lineage and on behalf of all of the couples receiving the Blessing that day. After the ceremony I found myself giving interviews some of the journalists who had found their way into Madison Square Garden - they really did not know any of the significance of what had just happened. As I was getting ready to leave, I thought about True Father explaining how important it is for three generations to receive the Blessing, and how our family had already made it a large step of the way, but also how much responsibility still lies upon my shoulders to live up to the expectations of Heaven. I feel very lucky to have been part of an event of such historical importance, and determined not to let down those who allowed me to be there. To all of those 2nd Generation out there, I just want to say that it is worth sticking with it through all the struggles, even though it can be very difficult at times, because one cannot imagine the Blessing that God has in store for each and every one of us. Being in New York this time allowed me to glimpse a small part of that Blessing.

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