I Will Still Love You...

"I am, for a loss of better words, completely truly deeply madly in love with you and everything about you. From the soft curve of your lips. To the rough trail of your back. To the way you can't dance in time or text on time either. I'm completely in love with the way you look when you've just woken up; to the look of bliss after an amazing kiss. I'm in love with your obsession to be right and need to protect. I'm in love with your laughter and tears. I'm in love with your anger and sorrow. I'm in love with your insecurities and strength. I'm in love with your blue eyes and golden heart. I'm in love with your dreams and fears. I'm in love with what you say and do. I'm in love with you, everything about you. Even at 80 when all your hair is gone, and you can't dance with me anymore, I'll still be in love with you."

I was 17 when I wrote that, and nothing has changed except, I've fallen even more in love with you. I’m in love with your new-found paternal instincts and how you bend to our little princess' will. I’m in love with how you’re still a terrible dancer but dance the night away with me. How even after a long day we still have time to dance in the kitchen. I’m in love with how you see the best in everyone and help anyway you can, even if it's 4 AM but a friend needs some words of comfort. I loved the young boy I fell in love with at 15 but the man I know today at 22 is more amazing. The man who wipes my tears away and still kisses me when I fall. The man who holds his small family close and the man who taught me I was just as strong even when I had tears streaming down my face. The man who I’ve seen has changed and grown into someone so amazing and kind and genuine. I’m in love with all your stages.

I can’t wait to fall in love with the man you’ll continue to grow and change into as the years progress. I’m in love with the you because despite everything we’ve been through you’ve been here. I know you, every little thing about you. I can take one look at you and know what's wrong. I know your tells and sighs. I know certain looks and ticks. I know what makes you cry and laugh. I know that I can’t look at you for to long without you blushing and getting teary eyed. I know how to make you laugh even after an episode of depression. I know how to soothe you after a hard day. I know you like I know myself, deeply and accurate yet still finding new things, and that's love. The love we all desperately want. A love that is fully known and true. A love that has survived a million wounds and a million laughs. A love that still gives me butterflies and transports me to 15 again. A love we know lasts a million life times. A love that even death cannot part.

In the words of Timothy Keller, "To be loved but not known is comforting but superficial. To be known and not loved is our greatest fear. But to be fully known and truly loved is, well, a lot like being loved by God. It is what we need more than anything. It liberates us from pretense, humbles us out of our self-righteousness, and fortifies us for any difficulty life can throw at us."

May all of you be fully known and truly loved.