I would recognize you in another lifetime entirely, in two different bodies, different times, and I would love you in all of this.

We met 7 years ago during our senior year of high school. While we can't remember the exact day, we do remember how deep of a friendship we shared. Walking together on the path between classes, long nights on face time after school laughing so hard at jokes that made no sense, and rollerblading hand in hand on senior skip day at the skating station like no one is watching. We loved each other as friends first before we knew how far love could go. Time passed and distance grew. We both went off to college and lost communication. In the summer of 2021, we reconnected as friends and went on our first date on August 22nd, 2021. We went to Cold Stone in Cherry Hill Village after years of not speaking. We waited in line where Joel was so nervous he didn't even look at me. Minutes passed and we laughed and sang Chris Brown at the top of our lungs after Joel got his ice cream. We went on a couple dates that same week and Joel shared his testimony of how he came to Christ and I shared my own. We kept telling each other we didn't want a relationship but love is just a friendship that catches on fire. I moved to Western Michigan University two days later and we fell in love two weeks after that...and yes, I said I loved him first.