Partners.

Love is a true partnership. After years of wondering if there was anyone out there for me, of wondering if perhaps I’m simply meant to be alone, I found my partner. My life has felt more complete ever since; she was the missing puzzle piece that added color and depth to my life. I wouldn’t say that my life’s puzzle is complete- I hope to have children someday, and their lives will also contribute to my puzzle’s completion- but the addition of my partner filled a large gap in the middle of my life’s puzzle, a gap that had been staring me down for years.

A partner is an equal, someone who stands beside you and supports you through life’s challenges. My previous girlfriend was anything but a partner. She was raised by her mother to believe that the world owed her everything, and that it was acceptable to leech off of anyone and everyone in order to get ahead in the world. I was blinded by my initial impression of her and made some very stupid decisions. I believed her promises, and I truly believed that her character was the opposite of her mother’s, that somewhere deep inside she possessed integrity and morals. I was wrong; at least I learned from the experience.

My ex gleefully felt that she had broken me; she taunted me with petty insults and the threat of “karma.” I’m not sure she understood the meaning of “karma.” Her family stole many of my belongings, taunted me via text message (they were too cowardly to speak with me directly), and otherwise acted like a gang of trailer park children. I changed my phone number and decided to move on. I knew that I would have to work very hard to rebuild the parts of my life that were now in disarray because of my ex’s negativity.

So I did. I worked very hard. I rebuilt my life and stood on my own two feet. I abandoned the negativity of my ex and her family, choosing instead to live in the positivity of each and every moment. I enjoyed the single life for awhile, focusing on myself and my studies. I took some supplemental courses, applied to graduate school, and received a letter of acceptance from UMASS Lowell. I spent more time enjoying the great outdoors and building a relationship with my family.

Eventually, I met my partner. I can’t even compare her to my ex, really; there’s no comparison. My partner is on a much higher level than my ex could ever be. Her family is wonderful, too. It would seem that I abandoned the trashy and cruel for the honest and kind. Her family has been very welcoming, very understanding of my Asperger’s, and I’ve had such a great time getting to know them. It’s nice to be part of a family that’s more family-oriented, more focused on the positive aspects of life and human nature.

My partner is the most amazing person that I’ve ever met. She works hard and focuses on her goals. She learns from her mistakes and uses that knowledge to become even stronger. She’s more talented than she’ll admit and I love each and every moment that we spend together.

I love you, sweetheart. Always and forever. Thank you for making me stronger and sharing my journey with me.

Love

When I met her, I had no idea that we could have a romantic future together. These days, I can't imagine my life without her. I was attracted to her from the start, but things were unnecessarily complicated for awhile. Actually, remembering our first meeting still makes me laugh. We were at a party for her ex-roommate. Someone couldn't hold their liquor and threw up in the kitchen sink after one shot of Jaeger. Although I was disgusted by this, I was also starving because I had forgotten to eat that day, so I was watching all of this from a corner of the kitchen whilst consuming a chicken wing. Memorable, no?

At the time, a few people were causing a lot of drama for random reasons. In particular, one person would soon use to me in order to get closer to someone else. Although the "game" was explained to me later by a third party observer, it was nonetheless upsetting and hurtful at the time. In spite of the drama that would soon unfold, I felt an instant connection with the lady who would eventually become my girlfriend. When I looked into her eyes I saw a very genuine individual with a kind heart. Her eyes were sad at the time, but when she smiled it really lit up the entire room. We talked quite a bit that night, taking shots until she went to bed and I passed out on her couch for a few hours.

When the dramatic game unfolded, she was the only person who saw the game for what it was and chose not to believe everything she heard. We continued to talk and slowly formed a close friendship. Months later, I found out that a mutual friend told her that I spoke to her differently than I did with most anyone else; I seemed to put her on a pedestal and be more of a "gentleman" around her. In truth, what was happening was that I was finally letting my defensive, cocky, crude mask slip away. I didn't have to pretend that I was someone else around her; she seemed to like me for who I was. At a time when I felt uncertain about my future, when I was struggling to find my way, she allowed me to just be myself. It really helped me to step back and examine my life; goals that had seemed so unattainable finally seemed within my grasp. She was a rock, a current that made me stronger and propelled me towards my goals.

Oh, and did I mention that I adore her family, too? From our first meetings, I knew that I wanted to be a part of their family. One of the biggest problems that I had with my ex's family is that they were never welcoming and went out of their way to treat me poorly. I'm a family-oriented person at heart, and I couldn't imagine a future with people like that. My concept of family, the kind of family that I wanted to create, was defined and solidified after I broke up with her. When I met my girlfriend's family, I saw my definition come to life. I knew, I just had a feeling, that this is where I wanted to be. I love the family parties, the gatherings, the holidays, the stories... I love everything, even the imperfections.

Life with my girlfriend has been amazing; things get better and better with each new day. We have lots of adventures, even if all we do is play with hula hoops at Wal-Mart. No matter how crappy my day is, just coming home to her makes everything alright. I can honestly say that I see my future with this beautiful, strong, intelligent, AMAZING woman- and it's dazzling. Whatever else life may bring, I know that she's the one for me, the one that I want to create a family with. Even as I write this, I can hardly wait to go cuddle up next to her and fall asleep, with our boys curled up by our feet.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that... I'm in love and it's amazing. She makes me stronger; I fall more in love with her every day. This is where I belong; everything else will fall into place.

Wow, I must be feeling sappy tonight, eh? What can I say...? I love you, sweetheart. Every day!