Using a blender is far less burdensome or messy than one might imagine
A single poem can contain more than volumes of books. Bonus points for when it’s read to you (or is written) by someone who really appreciates its poignant power
An adventure can be made out of just about anything, from auto repair to catching the bus for a concert
If cuddling is all there is to life, what a beautiful life it is!
Talking about death (or, somewhat similarly, the end of the world) is a lot easier with someone you love deeply
Always get in the water. This applies to lakes, oceans, hot tubs, and more
Coffee can (and indeed will) dictate the decision-making rhythms of a day, and that’s more than ok—it’s downright exciting (but less exciting when you overcaffeinate). Related: gas station coffee has a special role to play in the world, especially when there are 6 hours and 17 minutes remaining on Google Maps
If neither person can make a decision, you actually might not decide on something. Whether this is cute or not depends on both involved parties
Sometimes a hug—a long hug—is more than enough
The line “Music sounds better with you” becomes more true over time
Always be yourself and stay curious. It might just land you in a rental vehicle on a school club trip where you get to know the love of your life
Shamelessly loving food and its endless possibilities of deliciousness is a pretty wonderful way to go about things
Your car can tell you it has no gas yet still work
It’s ok to be in a funk, but blaming others for the funk will only perpetuate the funk
You may not know you really like someone until you don’t have cell service for 2 months and during the brief moment you do, a Snapchat DM from them makes your heart flutter
If you run around a track in the same direction too many times, one of your calves will be significantly more sore than the other
Showing even mild interest in something that really matters to someone else—even if it’s a painfully bad sports team that repeatedly loses when you attend games—matters more than it might seem.
Camping is way more fun when it’s above 40 degrees
There is more than meets the eye in the vast realm that is Taylor Swift. Harry Styles may also fall into this category of having one’s own realm—something the ordinary pedestrian may not perceieve at first glance
“Skip intro” may save time but you might have missed the opportunity for a dance party
Some people are a lot more sensitive to tickling than others
Living with an elite-level athlete is both somewhat difficult (a signal that the ego is chiming in) and extremely inspiring. And really educational, too
An enduring sense of comfort and peace when sharing silence with someone else is to be cherished, especially if you’re an introvert
Not all burritos are equal and it’s worth seeking out the great ones. The same goes for margaritas and brands of seltzer
It feels really great to trust someone with every ounce of your being. This lays the foundation for a beautiful, unending evolution of each person, supported by (and sometimes in concert with) the other.
On that note, it feels really great to be at peace while sharing silence with someone else
Hummus can last a really long time in the backseat of a car if you keep it cold
There will never be a point where you know everything about someone else. This is both because certain stories require the right moment to be shared, and because the other person is always changing—meaning there is always more to learn, be curious about, and appreciate. Over time, it becomes fun to reflect on how different you both are compared to when you first met and the new paths you forged (both together and as individual beings) in each other’s presence, ceaselessly transforming before each other’s very eyes.
Spectating at running races is extremely fun and something we all should do more often, even when injured and wanting badly to participate. The vibes are sensational and, more generally, showing up for people you care about is key.
Loving someone else doesn’t mean you’ll agree on everything (I feel like Captain Obvious on this one, but I wonder all the time about our collective ability—or lack thereof—to disagree). It’s the ability to explore nuance, dance with cognitive dissonance, and challenge ideas from a place of curiosity that can deepen a relationship and build trust (see #25). In this way, you both grow, reaching higher perceptive planes than you would have if just relying on your own (seemingly) individual thoughts.
There are marvel fans, and then there are Marvel Cinematic Universe fans
Friends of friends can, indeed, be (or turn into) friends, without needing to say “of friends”
People first (well, certain people…). The rest comes after.
Even after you decide on what to order at a restaurant, you never really decide until you’re staring the person taking your order in the face
There’s actually a noticeable difference between good and bad wine, but only to a certain degree
Simply holding a non-judgmental space for someone can be far more useful than trying to figure out exactly what’s going on in their mind
It’s an important thing that peanut butter is cheap
Laughter—especially the rippling, contagious, now-I’m-laughing-at-my-laughing type—is something we should seek out as much as possible. On that note, laughter can truly come from anywhere, like, for example, a peculiar grumbling of the stomach
Something we should all also seek more of: crying (or simply expressing the fullness of what one is feeling), preferably in the presence of someone who is openly embracing everything you are in that moment.
Wood wick candles go significantly harder than normal candles
Starting and ending the day next to someone you love is a beautiful way to consistently tap the well of gratitude and dismiss (or discuss, then dismiss) unimportant things that have managed to stress you out. Also, as soon as you start sharing a bed with someone, it feels a whole lot emptier when you spend even one night alone
Dog-sitting is a high-ranking, best-of-both-worlds activity
It is an extremely special (and all too rare) phenomenon to watch someone you love pour their energy into a lofty endeavor—whether on the trails of a steep mountain, in the labs of scientific wonder, or the blank cleanliness of a canvas—and to truly, with no reservations, wish for and celebrate the happiness and fulfillment of that someone.
Getting rid of hiccups may be the eternal puzzle of humankind
Pleasant surprises are the best type
Knowing and acknowledging how beautifully (and sometimes tragically) fragile life is can be scary, but it can also open up new ways to connect with (and cherish time with) someone else
Barbers may or may not be overrated depending on the situation
Yearly anniversaries are special (here I am jotting these notes, after all) but the in-between can be whatever you want it to be, too. Whether 19 months, 41 months, or all the mini-milestones in the years to come, celebrating a bond that adds color, awe, adventure, feeling, and hope to life should be done as often as possible.
If you pass on through the meadows with their thousand flowers of every color imaginable, from bright red to yellow and purple, and their bright green grass washed clean by last night’s rain, rich and verdant—again without a single movement of the machinery of thought—then you will know what love is. To look at the blue sky, the high full-blown clouds, the green hills with their clear lines against the sky, the rich grass and the fading flower—to look without a word of yesterday; then, when the mind is completely quiet, silent, undisturbed by any thought, when the observer is completely absent—then there is unity. Not that you are united with the flower, or with the cloud, or with those sweeping hills; rather there is a feeling of complete non-being in which the division between you and another ceases.
- Jiddu Krishnamurti
<3
Enjoy every moment. Happy 4th anniversary to you both. I love all the entries especially #36.
Happy 4 to an amazing couple! Love all of these and being able to write 48 meaningful ones says a lot about you both! A few funny memories...............#16 has happened to me; #25!! #27 road trip and #34 tonight. :) Happy happy 4!!!!!