It’s Night One. I’m standing in the middle of the glistening driveway. Dead silence. I can hear my heart beating through my chest! Now, I’m officially nervous…
To say that the introductions were some of the most nervous moments of my life would be an understatement. I was in Stage 3 of a heart attack! I kept expecting the girls to turn back for the airport once they saw me!
Once I got through the limo exits, I figured the hard part was over. Not a chance! I walked in to the mansion, looked directly at the girls, and felt as if they were all waiting for this moment of Aristotle-esque profoundness, but “hey girls” were the first words that came out of my mouth! This was honestly one of the most daunting tasks of my life. It sounds like every guy’s dream to walk into a house with 25 girls, and it is. But it’s overwhelming, too.
Finally, I made my way to the couch to relax with some gorgeous women but then cue host Tyler Harcott, “Brad, we have another bachelorette.” As if the ladies gun stares at me weren’t already cocked, this did not help!
While I was thinking they were about to bring my ex-girlfriend out (thankfully there was a pond near where I was standing in case I decided to lose my dinner), the door opened to…Jillian Harris. Phew!
Ultimately, after chatting with me and the girls, Jill gave me better insight into who should receive the first impression rose. It was easy to give it to Whitney. Usually someone’s intensity would throw me off right away, but she seemed to be so calm about it. And after seeing the full episode, I applaud her even more for her composure.
Lastly, one thing totally unique to The Bachelor that can never be duplicated – The Rose Ceremony. To stand in front of that many women and know I was deciding their fate on the show was really hard. In that moment I wished it was called The Bachelorettes so they could choose me instead; but in order for me to find that one person to start my life with, I knew I had to make tough decisions along the way.
Getting through that night was an amazing and chaotic experience. Writing and reliving it, even more so. But I’m so happy that everyone got to come along on the journey with me.
Until Episode2, let the dating begin!
