From a young age, you learn that you have a soul mate. By definition, this is someone that you were destined to meet; that fate played apart in your meeting. This person would understand you, cherish you, hold you when it got difficult, cheer you on, and love you unconditionally. Since you’re reading this, you are my soul mate—my person. The one that fate had led me to find.
You decided to love me unconditionally and let me live my life with you by my side. You never once tried to step on my toes or push me away from the road less traveled. Instead, you urged me to sink my toes in the mud, build a sand castle out of gravel, stare at the blue sky just a little longer, and keep my darkest secrets (and I will keep yours.)
I decided to love the parts of you that you dislike and let you learn from your mistakes. I never tried to change you or get angry at the prolonged period of time that it took you to reach your destination. Instead, I urged you to listen to your music with your eyes shut tight, take the first jump into the quarry, cringe as you got your first tattoo, and cry even when you don’t want to.
At our age, nothing is constant. One minute, we are wandering the local park in the middle of the night, and the next we are packing up our things to leave for school. The friendships we make are rocky and dynamic. One night, we have so many plans that we have to cancel, and others we lie in bed alone watching the fan oscillate back and forth. One thing never changes though: you.
You are a constant in my neurotic life, providing me stability without even knowing it. You keep me grounded, reminding me that bad situations will quickly end. You bring me peace, analyzing my life until I can take a deep breath and feel okay again.
I am so thankful for you.
In the future, we will embark on new journeys. We will meet new people and live in new places. We will travel to separate hemispheres and eat foreign dishes that we have never tried before. We will paint different portraits and discover hidden coves. Our future is promising and fulfilled.
Right now, I believe that none of our goodbyes are forever—they are all just “see you later’s.” Our hearts do not need to beat for the same things because loving you is not an option for me. I love you with my whole self—from the follicles on my head to the grime beneath my fingernails. Every single one of my eyelashes loves you. My veins pulsate with your smile.
You are my soul mate; the one I was meant to be with. You are my best friend; the one who keeps my secrets. You are my refuge; the one who makes me laugh in tough times. But most importantly, you are my person; the one whose love has no timeline.
