Why do I love him so? What is so special about him? For more than ten years now I have been trying hard to figure out the answers to those questions. But it has eluded me so far. Maybe I should stop pursuing the logic and wait for it to just come to me, just like chasing butterflies never gets you close to them. But once you stop going behind them, they might just come and settle on your fingers. I kept telling myself that this was just a schoolgirl crush that I couldn’t get off my mind, but when this crush turned into an obsession, I certainly do not know.
It started out just as any ordinary friendship while at school. I did have a crush on him in the sixth grade. “Is that an age to have a crush?” you wonder. Well yes and that was some time back in 1996. So it has now been about twelve years to be precise. We finished our elementary school and parted ways. After that I neither saw him nor heard from him but kept him strongly alive in my heart and in my memories.
Years later, we were destined to meet at a bus-stop, both being at a loss for words. I vividly remember coming back home and wondering if I had just been dreaming? No I hadn’t, it definitely was him, couldn’t have been anybody else!
We were both soon rediscovering each other, but still I held back from him all the feelings that I felt. How could I tell him all that? How would he react? I had just found my friend after almost seven years and I was in no hurry to lose him. I had to give it time. But on that particular day, his call took me by surprise, not more than what he had to say though. He told me about the feelings that he had for ever since we were in school, it left me astounded. How could two people be feeling the same thing for each other and yet both hesitated on their part to let the other person know. Then what made him tell me all this that day? Why hadn’t he told me earlier? Was it the same fear of losing the one you love? We both remembered the same incidents, the games we played together, the fights which seemed trivial now and above them all was the feelings, the love and the passion that burnt in each other’s hearts.
Time slowly crept and we both finished our college, and all through we were there for each other, helping out or just listening to the grandiose dreams for the future and sometimes only remembering the treasured memories. This was how our college days were spent, not exactly by meeting each other but mostly over the telephone. With our college now over, we had to think of our futures and plan for it. But how would we go about it? I left the country to pursue my higher education, but he was rarely out of my thoughts. We still held a very special place in each other’s hearts, one that no one could take away.
Deep down, I knew I belonged to him. I don’t know when this crush turned into love but I do know that I do not want to let go. Through these years I have learnt one thing though. Love has different forms and mine has taken the form where I have to let go. I cherish him more than anything in this world and just can’t see him hurt. I love him, I have said these words to myself so many times and yet those don’t cease to amaze me. Love is not just about holding on. My love for him is about knowing that I love him yet also knowing that I have to let go.
Back to answering questions? Why do I love him so? There might be many who know him and yet I do take pride in knowing him the best. When I look at him today, I don’t see the accomplished designer who is now pursuing his masters degree, instead I see the same guy I fell for over fourteen years ago, I see innocence and a vulnerability. When I look at him, I have the urge to hug him at tell him that everything is going to be just fine and that he needn’t worry. And worry he does. He is the kind of person who would call me and tell me that he hasn’t achieved much in his life and he isn’t being ambitious. But who would want a practical monotonous life with no love. I would rather be stuck to him, he who has a profound understanding of life and strives to live it in his own terms.
Whenever I look back at the times that I have spent with him, I just remember them with exuberance and ecstasy, each and every moment with him. I remember my childhood days with pleasure and he sure is one of the reasons for that,Whenever I am with him, I lose all sense of rationality and nothing seems wrong, what matters is that I am with him. Is this what love is all about? I guess so. The more I think about it, the more I love it.
He is a very simple person with no pretence whatsoever, why wouldn’t I love him. We have had our share disagreements but we have pulled through them. I love the way he says my name and I love the way he looks into my eyes. I am indeed forever smitten, no backing out now. I love the way he cares for me and to be shamefully honest, I love his possessiveness . One thing that I am sure of, I can be myself with him, not having to worry about putting up a façade that isn’t me. He loves me for who I am and I know that he understands me completely. The one other thing I love about him is who I am when I am with him. Sometimes he is like a little kid who just needs to be royally pampered and at times he needs to be reprimanded. he is my best friend, always there for me in my times of need as i hope to be for him, Nevertheless, he is all mine and I love him, there those words bring a glow to my eyes.
I guess I do know after all why I love him so.
And this is for the one true love of my life:
If I had to live my life without you near me
The days would all be empty
and the night would seem so lone
You I see forever all so clearly
I might have been in love before
but I never felt this strong
our dreams are young
and we both know they’ll take us where we want to go
hold me now, touch me now,
I don’t want to live without you
Nothing’s gonna change my love for you
You wanna know by now how much I love you
One thing you can be sure of
I’ll never ask for more than your love
If the road ahead is not so easy,
Our love will lead a way for us, like the guiding star
I’ll be there for you if you should need me
You don’t have to change a thing
I love you just the way you are
So come with me and share the view
I’ll help you see forever unto
hold me now, touch me now,
I don’t want to live without you
Nothing’s gonna change my love for you
You wanna know by now how much I love you
One thing you can be sure of
I’ll never ask for more than your love
Nothing’s gonna change my love for you
You wanna know by now how much I love you...
