someone to love

You won't notice it at first.

No one ever does.

But one day,

Something will happen.

Not something extraordinary,

Or necessarily life-changing.

But it will force you to open your eyes

And realize what is truly in front of you.

For me it was the smile.

In everything we did,

I sought out his smile.

It was my way of reading him.

And when he said I love you

For that first time under the lifeguard tower

At 10pm on the beach,

It was the smile that made me believe him.

Even now, his smile is my key

To understanding him.

I noticed it on the night of homecoming

During the slow song when his eyes were locked in mine.

And in that moment, it gave me the confidence to say

I love you, too.

It's different for everyone.

Each person's memory different from the last.

But you'll know when it hits you.

Your emotions begin to line up with your body,

And you feel whole.

You don't look at anything the same.

You feel like you have a responsibility; a goal.

And you do everything in your power to run toward that goal,

No matter the tears, aches, and pains that get in the way.

You remind yourself you have someone to live for.

You have someone to love.