We met at a mutual friend's birthday party in Long Island City, NY. It was not love at first sight but I definitely made a mental note of Ken. We continued to run into each other at mutual friends' parties and my building. Ken eventually invited me (took him long enough), my dog Monster and some friends to his bachelor pad in Rockaway Beach one fine summer day. As time passed, due to the demanding schedule of my fellowship, it became harder and harder for me to take care of Monster alone. A few months later, after dropping off Monster in Michigan, I messaged Ken while driving back to NYC to see if he was free to hang out. And the rest was history!

Sarah and I came together through mutual friends and good timing. In the midst of the COVID pandemic, when so many souls were lost and isolated from those they love, Sarah and I somehow found each other. I was an acquaintance of Sarah's before we began dating; my childhood friend JJ and his fiancé Eric were neighbors and friends of Sarah's. It must have been at one of their parties in Long Island City where Sarah and I first met. She was clearly beautiful, vivacious, and I couldn't help but feel an attraction toward her, but the parties were full of people and we were both distracted. The timing was not yet right for us. Party-going ended when COVID struck. After a few weeks of quarantine in my Rockaway Beach apartment, I decided to hunker down with my family in Ringwood. In May 2020, when it began to feel safe to crawl out of our caves, I went hiking with JJ, Eric, Sarah, and several other friends at nearby Greenwood Lake. Much to my dismay, Sarah's little dog Monsee came. I was looking forward to a vigorous hike and felt sure that this little dog would slow us down. As we began hiking, however, it became apparent that both Monsee and Sarah had more energy and enthusiasm than anyone else, laughing or panting as they led the way up the hills and vastly improving every photo shoot with their good looks. After some off-trail bushwhacking to conclude our hike, Sarah tenderly inspected Monsee for ticks and found a few, which she methodically removed from the compliant and furry patient. Both of them surprised me that day, but mostly I surprised myself with my newfound interest in Sarah, my inexplicable hoping that time with her would never end. Happily, we met again sooner than expected, at the end of August in Rockaway. I had invited Sarah to the beach with several other friends. Monsee came as well, and this time I couldn't have been happier to see the both of them. We all had a great day there by the sea and sand, but nothing ever goes as planned and Monsee was bitten by fleas. Approaching dusk, Sarah asked if she could nurse the poor boy and I lent them my room as I entertained my other guests. With wet and sandy clothes, she was in need of a shirt and I lent her that too. When she drove off after dark, I was ready to lend her anything, yet she was bound with Monsee for Michigan. In mid-November, as Sarah was returning to NYC, we arranged to meet for a date, again in Rockaway. Devoid of distractions, this was my first chance to focus all of my attention on her, and I was amazed by the richness and beauty of her character. She happily accompanied me to some of my favorite spots in town, and I watched, amazed, as Sarah charmed my local friends with her bright smile and open laugh. We blew bubbles as we talked, danced, and laughed for hours. Later on, an older friend of mine experienced minor heart pain in a bar. Sarah led him to a quiet corner, took his vitals, and cared for him until he was stable. I fell in love with Sarah that night, though it took me a few more weeks to realize it. What I knew was that from then on I did not want to spend another moment without her. Over more than two years, we have shared many adventures together and with friends and family, and my love for her has become indispensable to my life. Sarah is at once the most intelligent, affectionate, and beautiful person I have known. She wins most games and arguments, is practical, fun, and above all genuine. The effort and dedication that she puts into her profession is staggering, and yet she always finds some energy leftover for those she cares about. That is the thing that I love the most about Sarah: the depth of her caring. Fittingly, her heart is what won my love. On a soft summer evening in June 2022, after a candlelit meal above our apartment in Coney Island, Sarah made me the happiest I have ever known by agreeing to marry me. With great joy, I await our wedding day, when my life will merge with that of my best friend.