Harmony in Harris: Khadija and Jared’s love story

The road to Khadija and Jared’s love story is definitely not a short one. Meeting first in a seemingly irrelevant class at The University of the West Indies, Mona, nine years ago, for Khadija the interaction held no significance, but even then, Jared knew something was special.

Thinking back to that warm September day, he said, “It was early in the semester and she was new to our class because of some mix-up that had happened. She just walked in and I was like, ‘Who the hell is that?’ I noticed immediately when she walked in that she didn’t want to be there. That was the first time I saw her.”

While clearly piquing his interest, the pair were both in separate relationships that prevented them from acting on any attraction. As the semester continued, the two became friends and study partners. Innocently enough, their friendship grew, and even well after their respective relationships had ended, they still did not act on the spark growing between them.

“We kind of started to form a little individual relationship from then on. I think one day he asked me to drop him home, and that was probably the turning point,” Khadija explained.

Truly defining the term ‘slow burn’, the couple finally went on their first date three years later to Cafe Blue in Irish Town.

“He didn’t give me a location or anything at the time. He just said dress up and look nice, so I dressed up and looked nice, and there we were on our way. It was really nice.”

With an air of familiarity that made the date feel more like a beloved memory than a new experience, they settled into each other’s presence. Although Khadija had no complaints about the date, she was still not ready to set her fears aside. Recalling his world of patience, Jared explained that God definitely had a hand in gifting him that virtue.

“I feel like a part of the answer has to be Jesus. God had to be the one telling me to continue,” he said.

Drawing inspiration from a biblical parable, he explained, “I saw that this woman is worth it and if I’m going to try, then I’m just gonna put my effort in and, ultimately, I just noticed how valuable she was.”

Rewarding his patience, over a year later, in May 2019, the pair became an official couple.

“Honestly, he kept pursuing me,” she began, “and just showing me love in a very different way than I knew before. So I was just like, ‘This guy is really nice, so let me just stop the foolishness and give the man a try.’”

Despite finally being together, the pair’s challenges were not yet behind them. Two years into their relationship, Jared migrated to the United Kingdom for school. Adding further complexity to the situation, a year later, Khadija migrated to the United States.

With a global pandemic wreaking havoc on the world and thousands of miles between them, their love never wavered.

Explaining how he knew he loved her, Jared said, “I don’t even wanna say it’s the way she made me feel. That’s a part of it, but it was just the fact that I kept intentionally choosing to look out for her and try to do right by her over a period of time. That could only be an indicator that I’m either stupid or I’m in love.”

Adding, Khadija told Island Wedding, “It’s very surreal. From the moment I said ‘I’m ready, let’s do this!’, I haven’t been worried. I haven’t been afraid that his affection for me would end or things would go sideways. I’ve always been assured of how he says he feels and the love that he says he has for me is genuine. I’ve never had to second guess it or question it and that is a relief. It feels like the utmost portion of safety. That sort of security that women yearn for, and I think everybody really yearns for, I definitely had that, and still have that.”

With almost a decade of history, and three time zones between them, Jared decided in March 2023 to start planning their happily ever after.

Throwing her off the scent of the engagement with a romantic dinner the night before, Jared proposed with an amethyst ring on Father’s Day in 2023.

Khadija explained: “We went to Buzo, we had our food and we went. Mi dress up fi guh Buzo, enuh, ‘shot’ like 10 fire site ‘cause mi say tonight is the night. It was not the night, so I went home fully annoyed and upset and frustrated.”

“So I definitely wasn’t expecting anything to happen the next day on Father’s Day. To me, the golden opportunity was the night before.”

Following instructions Khadija had forgotten she gave him, Jared proposed during a blindfolded game of ‘pin the tie’, with her friends and family holding signs with the fated words ‘Will you marry me?’

“It was very much perfect for me,” Khadija said. “The people that I loved the most were there. Jared had so much support on that day, a lot of people came and rallied behind him. The people that we love the most were there to support us and it just felt like an overflow of love.”

Though the process of wedding planning left some things to be desired, on November 9, 2023, Dr Khadija Campbell married Jared Harris at the Terra Nova All-Suite Hotel in Kingston.

As newly-weds, the couple is still finding their footing and expresses eagerness for the ordinary moments, eagerly anticipating the joy of residing in the same country once again.