A month and a day later

A month and a day later you were born after me. Your grandparents were born a month apart, in the same months as you and I. You were born in the same hour as our son. We lived 30 miles a part during our childhood. I think about that often, what we may have been doing at the same time while growing up. Maybe I was dancing and you were playing basketball, and how we might have been friends if in the same school. Sometimes I think what if I had passed you in a mall or someplace but didn't notice because I had never met you. Similar to how you were in a fraternity, (I know, don't mention it, right?) but it was the same fraternity the friend I met on my very first day of college joined. I went to all the parties with him and somehow never met you, until Senior year, at my friend's house. Why then? I believe we were meant to go through different experiences before we came together.
It's strange to think how big this world is, and in a tiny portion of it, 30 miles, lived two kids who would meet, fall in love and start a long life together. I often think how we can go our whole lives living a street away from someone and never meet. I am glad I decided to go to that party when I almost opted not to because of summer school the next morning. I only decided to come the hour before we met. I love to think of that night and how we talked and everyone eventually made it inside because the day had fallen into night and the air was chilly, but we stayed seated and let the conversation roll. I didn't notice everyone was gone until my friend asked us to come in. I love celebrating your birthday and another year I have grown with you. We were there together in our early twenties- finding jobs, apartments, learning who were as individuals and trying to figure out how to blend that into our relationship. It was not always easy, us trying to grow up, and do it together.

Sometimes I think what if we had met when were were older, when we felt more comfortable with our own selves. I believe we were meant to have those experiences together, and I am thankful for how we've grown and leaned on one another. I love how we can say remember when we were in college....

I love getting older with you, finding more peace between us, giving each other space to grow in our own ways. We are opposites, but continue to attract to each other. Although we are in our late twenties I can begin to see how our thirties may be and from what I hear they are even better. It's bittersweet, knowing all this now as time flies by. Yes, it would have been nice to know some things when I was younger, like how to savor time, pursue your dreams without fear, those sorts of things. But I guess that's how we got here, today, and I am glad right now I am going to dinner to celebrate you.

love me.