The words from a fortune cookie were a catalyst,

A sign, an omen, a reason for you to act.

To take that first shot in the dark with no guarantee of reciprocity,

They prompted you to take a chance on me.

And it paid off.

Fast forward to two years later,

Along with the passage of time

There has been pain, laughter, growth

And of course the novelty of unforgettable experiences.

Distance once created a chasm neither of us could span,

No matter how far I stretched I could not reach you.

But again, with the passage of time has come change.

And growth for both of us.

Now, life is even more complicated.

But I know I can take refuge in your arms.

And you in mine.

I know I can find a new horizon in your eyes.

And a keen tenderness in your touch.

I can find an endless comfort in your smile.

So on this one day dedicated to romance,

I thought I should address how much you mean to me.

And ask one question regarding this overused and underestimated term,

The concept so many of us simplify, though we realize its complexity is something that commands respect:

What is love but the extension of warmth from one being to another?

All different “types” of love share common threads of acceptance, compassion and attachment.

But this broad definition encompasses only a fraction of my affection and adoration for you.

Though like many emotions, words feel inadequate to describe this,

I must tell you that what I feel for you is a combination of interest, confusion, sympathy and admiration.

It’s a closeness and a vulnerability that I don’t allow most to observe.

A connection that I must say goes beyond logic or explanation.

Something that amounts to so much more than the four-letter word used to describe it.

What I feel for you is so much more than love.