It was not, indeed, love at first sight, nor love at first kiss. It was more like love at first date (we hadn’t kissed yet, but we thought we’d be married someday.) After talking to each other for a few hours – a very casual, hanging out together on the grass looking at the night sky – we got to know a lot about each other; our hopes, our dreams, our fears, our beliefs and our plans. We met in college. I am thankful for that, it definitely gave us more time to spend together in those early days where we became friends, then dated, fell in love and decided to get married – a fully conscious decision, not the whim of the thought we’d had on our very first date – although that was so very romantic and set the tone for our early days in love.

I do believe in true love and I also believe that you can love more than one person at a time – I’d better… I have a husband and three children and so many others whom I love so much. But, none are like this love. The love of your life, your partner, your best friend, your husband. The man you love.

I am lucky indeed to have found someone who balances me out. When one of us is frivolous, the other is sensible. When I am stressed, he makes me laugh. When one of us is angry, the other sees how inconsequential it is and we should give the kids a break…back off and relax. Almost immediately I realized that he and I were balanced and equal. I needed, wanted and loved him just as much as he needed, wanted and loved me. I think that is the one thing that makes it work and has helped us get to where we are today decades later.

“All is fair in love and war” and while that is absolutely true…being fair in love is so much more important. Fair. Equal. Honest. Balanced. Love.

Love at first sight fades. Love at first kiss is fleeting. I found my soul mate when I was 21 we’ve been together longer than we haven’t… it was true love at first and true love at last.

Happy Valentines Day to you and your love.

~ Love, Dawn aka Hat Girl