Breathe & Keep Up

‘an intense feeling of deep affection’

Read this to someone you love, read this to your self.

From you, To you, Love, Love Love.

I love you.

I want to wrap my arms around you and give you a warm, unrushed, close, tight hug.

I want to smile my biggest smile for you. Teeth showing, slightly crooked, forming wrinkles under my eyes, cheeks bunching up.

I smile this big for you because I’m happy you’re here.

I smile this wide for you because you make this world different and better.

I smile this long for you, because when I do, you smile too, you can’t help it and I like when we smile together.

My eyes look at you with curiosity because you never cease to amaze me.

My eyes look into yours, which makes you look away at times, because it can be hard to be seen.

You don’t always see what I see. You would shake your head when I say how intelligent, how unique, how talented you are. You think I say this to everyone so it can’t possibly be genuine or true about you. You think I’m too positive, being dramatic, caught up in a moment – but I’m not. I feel this way about you all the time. Even when you are upset with me and I wonder if you see me, understand me, or know that I’m still here.

I think of you. Sometimes I start smiling or laughing remembering something you said or did and I feel so grateful to be in your life.

I wish you could hear how I speak of you to others. You would feel embarrassed maybe, but I get so excited to share all the amazing things about you. I could go on and on.

I think of your strength, of all the different things you have been through, your resilience, your resolve, your ability to brush yourself off and get back on your feet.

It hurts me when you doubt yourself, when you feel guilt, shame, sad, regretful. You probably don’t know that long after we’ve spoken I think about how crazy it is that you carry these thoughts because I see how bright you shine and I don’t want you to dim that light, not even for an instant.

I see people looking at you. I like standing back and watching you be YOU. When you let it all out and I get to see the awe and the inspiration in the faces looking back at you.

I know our relationship won’t always look the same. Life may take us in different directions. I may not always be fortunate enough to hear you, see you, smile for you.

But it doesn’t matter. I will always be here. And if you pause for a moment you will feel my presence, my energy, my love.

No parameters, no limits, no wavering, today, tomorrow, forever, I love you.