At first it was a crush.
Summer days spent swimming in your surf,
basking in your warmth,
glowing in your light.
You made me feel beautiful.
Showed me how glorious life can be
-- perfect days,
wild and free.
Then I got to know you better.
Long weekends spent all up in you.
Exploring you,
sharing myself with you,
seeing more I like
as well as parts that bugged me.
Messy parts.
Sometimes I thought it might be easier to just
keep to myself,
avoid the chaos
that is the unknown you.
But sometimes you look at me,
and it's like I've known you my whole life,
like I'm a part of you and you're a part of me
and this thing we have going is the whole point of everything.
Everything I never needed or will need,
you have offered to me.
I'm tempted to try to control you,
to milk you for the parts I like best,
the parts that make me feel nice
and comfortable.
But there's something less beautiful about that.
Less right.
We both know I could never actually hold you you down,
reign you in,
keep you under my thumb.
Every time I think I have you pegged,
you surprise me.
You are so unpredictable
and yet make perfect sense.
Utterly balanced.
If I pay attention,
really listen,
you balance me too.
I have so much to learn from you.
All the secrets of the universe are not so secret once I'm in your embrace.
Tall trees. Snowflakes. Bumble bees. Earthquakes.
I have learned to love you unconditionally.
How it's supposed to be.
In the summer and the winter,
you are the reason I live.
You are my everything.
-Alex Gamboa Grand
