"Koi no yokan" is a Japanese phrase that roughly translates to "the premonition of falling in love." I've always referenced those words when describing how I met Alex. I saw him for the first time, and it was like all the cells in my body were electrified; my soul recognized his before we ever exchanged words. This feeling led me, and I let it. I allowed myself to be enveloped in him. His calm, his anger, his dreams, his struggle. I found myself when I found him. I loved myself more when I was loving him. Love should never be a struggle. It should never be selfish or hurtful. Life, however, can be all those things and worse. Our past may raise its ugly head in dark moments, in harsh words, in our stories that we tell ourselves. And so the struggle lies in fighting that which prevents me from loving unconditionally and fully. I'll never make him feel small, or disrespect him in front of his kids, or hit him in the chink of his armor because that is not love. Love asks us to continually work and choose each other. The work is easy when I know that it makes our life together better. Every day, I have chosen to love. When I first saw him, I knew I would be in love for the rest of my life, and when we die, our love will transcend even that. Remember to love one another. Speak, act, think in love. For in love, we all prosper. -Alyxandra