ANDREW
You were the greatest gift of this trip
A week in New York City, the land of my dreams
We met at bachata my first night here
About to go home, I saw you dancing
I took a breath, stood squarely in front of you, tapped you on the shoulder
Daring you to lead me
You embraced the challenge and did not disappoint
Our bachata was sizzling, as was our chemistry
Your boyish grin made me melt
Chocolate brown eyes paired with dark blonde locks
A beautiful contradiction that set you apart
Funny, I thought you a player when you asked for my number
How wrong I was, as I later uncovered
Two days later, there you were again
Donning a crisp white shirt, looking sharp as a whistle
I spotted you from across the room
We danced for a bit, the night had just begun
We left together and braved the Manhattan streets
Eating breakfast for dinner chased down with Diet Coke and water
Our conversations meandered left right and center
Opening up was effortless, like humming an easy tune
Thank you for hearing my story with open ears
This I inferred from listening to you
You are a man of morals, well-versed in religions
Seeker of meaning, hero on a mission
You are a fierce protector of those you love
With loyalty that stretches across lands
In a dopamine-hunting world that renders one shallow
You are a brilliant mind with a generous heart of gold
Tolerant of difference
Accepting of imperfection
In spite of what others have said
You saw in me a soul worth saving
You reached for my hand, pulling me out of the abyss and into the light
Teaching me all the untapped ways to manage my mind
I am amazed at the surefire faith
You carry in my ability to heal
You opened my heart to a world of possibility
That I could do anything, be anyone
If only I listened to your words of wisdom
Thank you for making me see
That the world is my oyster
And the vastness of my dreams need not be
Confined to the walls of a Manhattan apartment
But rather, scattered like fairy-dust across New York’s starless sky
Ambitions no longer curtailed by a limiting diagnosis
You made me feel hope for the first time in a while
…
If worth is measured by the good you’ve done
You are a priceless being, an angel in this life
Bridge to friendships
Connector of people
Community-builder
Forger of bonds
Precious Andrew, you are a gem
You could have any woman, yet you chose me this week
From dance friend to lover, I broke the rules of celibacy for you
I smiled as you tenderly rubbed my feet
We cuddled on the wrinkly couch
I slept as you worked
Silence punctuated by passionate love-making
After the act I lay in your arms
Feeling nothing but gratitude for this pure, painless love of ours
You are not the dashing New York bachelor I imagined
You’ve lived a rich life in your 39 years
The New York way did not beat kindness out of you
Your old soul remains loyal, brave, and true
There is still so much more of you to discover
My role in your story remains a wonder
Whether I am a sentence, paragraph, chapter, or ending
A reason, season, or lifetime in the making
I am grateful for our week of love
Dancing in the club and kitchen
Slow and sensual showers
Salsa-lathered red potatoes and sizzling bacon made with love
These are memories I will cherish forever
…
L-O-V-E
Those four letters
Strung together to start a revolution
You asked me to say the magic phrase
At first it felt awkward to utter
The words as foreign to me as Swahili or Swedish
That is why I equivocated
But now having sat with my feelings and written my way to understanding
I can speak my truth with courage
I love you, Andrew.
Thank you for being you.
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