An early Valentine...

There's always a lot of talk about 'soul mates' this time of year. How will you show your soul mate how much you heart them on Valentine's Day, or (gasp) what if you haven't found yours yet? I'm fortunate enough to say I found mine in my husband and will be able to face February 14th without the pressure of wondering if 'the one' is out there, or without having to hide my vulnerability by shrugging the whole day off because being single is 'empowering'. It really is just another day, single or whatever. But I like the thought of a day to celebrate love of any kind. And it's a couple of days early, but I'm going to take a minute to celebrate my soul mate.

Without taking anything from my husband, who deserves some sort of reward for putting up with my shenanigans and is truly so much more than I could ask for, I believe I have been blessed with more than just one soul mate. If you believe in such things, and I obviously do or I wouldn't be heading down this road, you know we all have someone who is good for our soul, who just gets us without much effort or prodding. Someone who's commitment to you is absolute, without proposals or vows. Someone who is there because they know it's where they should be, not because they're bound by blood or because it's always a party, but because it's home. Good or bad, laughter or tears. Births and deaths, arrivals and departures.

If we charted our friendships like we do our families, my friend Christina would have the largest, thickest branch of the tree. Hers would be the one where I would climb up and sit to think, where I would hang a tire swing so I could feel free, where I would defy gravity and dangle upside down, unafraid of falling. The one where I would build my treehouse to seek shelter when I want to hide for a minute or twenty. Her branch would provide the biggest breeze, the most shade when the heat gets too much. And in the autumn her leaves would be the boldest and brightest, and never drop. They would just return to the greenest green (her favorite color), ever-changing but not leaving.

My friend will give you the shirt off her back if you need it and not buy herself a new one to replace it. She will make you a meal with all of your favorites and not let you help with the dishes afterward. She will teach your children, walk your dog, help you move. She will cheer for you the loudest but only cheers for herself in a whisper. She is a list-maker like you've never seen, but she forgets to put herself on the list. Oh, and she would have the coolest lunch truck this town has ever seen.

Judging from the dirty looks we get, I would say people don't quite seem to enjoy our fits of hysterical laughter as much as Christina and I do. Maybe it's the high pitch of our giggles, maybe it's that they don't get what's so funny. But I'm afraid that they are just jealous. That they don't have someone to laugh with like we do, that maybe they've forgotten what it feels like to have a shared sense of humor with someone. That they are sad that they can't remember the last time they laughed so hard their cheeks and stomachs hurt. I am lucky enough to say I will never have to forget the last time, because it will never be too far behind me. And I know there will be another one coming soon.