He is true love.

I love how there is always one specific word that explains every thing under the sun. A feeling, a place, a taste, a smell. I love to try to describe words with other words. And I see life unfold in words, long sentences carefully constructed together to say the right thing at the right time. To convey something influential, powerful, and meaningful through the use of language. But for the first time, I am stuck on one word. I try to describe it. To describe him. But I cannot find the words that serve it justice.

Something has changed inside of me. I see and experience life much differently now. I breathe deeper. I laugh longer. I smile more frequently. I am constantly challenged. Somehow his voice relaxes every anxious thought, overbooked schedule, and stressful situation. I am motivated to honor a name that's not yet my own. I am emotionally transparent. I can trust. I can feel. Frowns have disappeared. Beauty is evident. Sounds are clearer. Life has more meaning. More hope. More joy. And a bright and unpredictable future. He is the epitome of everything wonderful, everything good. Everything I never thought to look for. He brightens my days. Says the right things at exactly the right time. He completes not only my sentences but my thoughts, and then he speaks them before I'm able and sometimes before I'm willing. He reads me and understands aspects of myself that I find odd and confusing. He is excitement. He is spontaneity. And passion. He is adventure. And laughter.

I thought I knew myself. But I didn't know myself at all really. Come to find out, I like blonde hair, brown eyes, dark skin, manpris, Chacos, summer camp, lakes, Toms, the sound of jingling keys hanging from a belt loop, Velveeta shells and Doritoes, Converse in every color, v-necks, Teddy Roosevelt, Michael Jackson, hearing "do you want to hear the good news or the bad news," sharing an entree, Foggy Bottom, golden retrievers, longboards, his "on a scale of 1-10"s. But I love the way our hands fit together, laughing until I cry, being heard, taking walks, spending Christmas together, operating as a team, being understood, and his last name.

I thought I had experienced it all and knew it all, and I didn't expect to find what I did. I doubted the existence of true love and never thought to search for it. God placed it before my eyes, and I'll admit I didn't trust Him at first. I was skeptical and afraid. Even in the beginning, I saw the face of God in this handsome boy who knew how to truly live. He understood beauty the way I began writing about it in my journal when I was just sixteen years old. He came to me at the most perfect time because he is the perfect man for me. He expresses himself in a way that blows my mind. I long for him just moments after I leave his side. And my love for him cannot be properly described to anyone.

Life could never be the same now that I have met him. We can be apart. But it doesn't make sense to be. Spending Forever isn't long enough. And spending Right Now is frustrating with miles of separation, long phone calls, Skype dates, and snail mail love letters. He is the most genuine, selfless, hard-working, driven, risk-taking, humorous, entertaining, and compassionate person I know. He knows what he wants in life and fights for it. I will defend him. Trust him. Support him. And continue to thank God for him every day that I am alive. For me, true love is forever. It has the courage to point out discrepancies and sticks around to sort them out. It shows compassion. Is constantly faithful. And practices patience. For me, true love is Christopher Sidney Espinosa.