June 22nd, 2009 @ 12:39 am by: Marc
How Love Begins
The greatest thing you’ll ever learn
Is to love and be loved in return.
- Natalie Cole
On a chilly October night nine years ago…
I would have preferred not to write to you. In fact, about a week ago, I put a post-it note on my computer monitor that said, “What would Skyman do?” (Skyman is my cat). It was supposed to remind me not to do things that Skyman wouldn’t do.
Skyman would just wag his tail or wiggle his little nose, and hope that whoever he’s wagging or wiggling to understands that he’s hungry, or lonely, or in love, or whatever. But he certainly wouldn’t write a silly love letter to the coolest girl he knows. Because he can’t form complex thoughts. And because he’s smart enough not to be so stupid.
This evening, the post-it note fell off of my computer monitor and landed on the floor. And although post-it notes usually lose their stick after a few days, this one was different. It was still really sticky and shouldn’t have come unstuck. And it was light green, which is the color of your eyes. These were obvious signs I couldn’t ignore.
So I decided to write to you… To tell you that Hanging by a Moment is a totally awesome song. That Diet Coke tastes better when you smile. And that the world seems easier to understand today than it did yesterday.
But still not as easy to understand as two days ago, when a friend and I shared a three scoop 5 & Diner ice cream sundae at midnight. And decided that some people are like hot fudge and others are like hard candy. And I don’t remember why we decided that.
But it had something to do with friendship. And ice cream with two spoons instead of one. And later that night, after I dropped you off, I wanted to call you to ask whether you preferred hard candy or hot fudge, just to find out whether you’d sigh and giggle simultaneously when I’d ask. Because that’s what I think you’d do.
I didn’t call you because Skyman wouldn’t do that. He wouldn’t even know how to dial your phone number. Because a cat’s paws are not nearly as dexterous as human hands. Which must be nice for Skyman, because love is a lot simpler when you have paws.
Anyway, it’s midnight again. And I’m sitting up in bed with my laptop thinking about how our lives begin and end in the time it takes the universe to blink. Which isn’t too long. But long enough for letters that aren’t too long. Letters that ramble instead of saying what they want to say. Which is…
I wish you were here. Just breathing beside me.
Photo by: Kliefi
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26 Comments
June 22nd, 2009 at 1:39 am
I love this story Marc. My cat is equally smart, and a very good teacher also.
The most powerful ways of being are found in the simple and the basic. Our cats are confined to that realm, but we can choose it!
John
June 22nd, 2009 at 4:55 am
Beautiful!
June 22nd, 2009 at 5:48 am
“I wish you were here. Just breathing beside me.” Oh this is just beautiful! You are a lovely writer!
June 22nd, 2009 at 6:06 am
Hi Marc,
What a beautiful letter. I’m especially drawn in to the idea that the universe blinks in the time our lives start and end. What a profound statement, and one that reminds me that life, really, here is short. And that now IS the time…for whatever it is in our lives we want to do (write that letter to someone special, experience life, find our deeper meaning, etc). Now is the time. That is all we truly have.
Skyman…he’s got it figured out…it doesn’t have to be complicated. Life is….what we make it.
June 22nd, 2009 at 7:12 am
Wow. Love this story that you posted. Vivid memories of how your love begun definitely shows how you can love today (more and even better) than how both of ya were in the early days.
June 22nd, 2009 at 10:22 am
That`s so sweet it can replace sugar…. I love it
June 22nd, 2009 at 10:30 am
Oh, I love this post! I love the way it’s written and the happy way it makes me feel. Thank you for posting this and making my morning a little bit brighter.
June 22nd, 2009 at 10:40 am
What a beautiful post! I loved it.
June 22nd, 2009 at 10:48 am
You all are too kind.
You’re making us blush… really.
Thanks so much for the positive feedback. Your kind words mean a lot to us.
June 22nd, 2009 at 1:10 pm
Absolutely beautiful!
June 22nd, 2009 at 1:35 pm
Three cheers for Skyman! Simplicity is essential.
On another more serious note,
I can really relate to this, as I recently said goodbye to my girlfriend a few weeks ago as we parted ways to go to our separate colleges. We decided not to do long distance which was a difficult decision no doubt.
The amazing thing is, even with her being thousands of miles away (Her in Brazil and I in Shanghai) I can still feel her presence through the memories we shared.
Regardless of our “status” I will always have a place for her in my heart and will continue to tune in to feel her loving warmth.
Not a night goes by that I don’t wish the same thing you did:
“I wish you were here. Just breathing beside me.”
Thanks for sharing. You are truly blessed in every meaning of the word.
June 22nd, 2009 at 8:05 pm
This was lovely, as usual. Great writing style and content. Stumbled and tweeted.
June 23rd, 2009 at 12:06 pm
Great post. Love your writing style and love the music references.
June 23rd, 2009 at 1:08 pm
I ran across your blog just yesterday. I’d like to say that it’s incredibly beautiful how the two of you run this blog together.
Continue to share the love you have, and you’ll not lose it, you’ll just enrich other’s lives.
Thank you and God bless you.
June 23rd, 2009 at 10:53 pm
Yet another case for why I think cats are best.
June 24th, 2009 at 9:24 pm
Beautifully written! And Hanging By A Moment is an awesome song.
June 25th, 2009 at 12:14 pm
WOW!!!
June 25th, 2009 at 12:17 pm
@Bud: Angel loved your “Three cheers for Skyman” remark. Thanks so much for sharing your story with us.
June 25th, 2009 at 3:33 pm
Thanks, I enjoyed reading this personal little post.
Tell Skyman I said “What up”
Jonathan
“It was the work of the quiet mountains, this torrent of purity at my feet” Jack Kerouac
June 25th, 2009 at 9:38 pm
Sweet!
June 28th, 2009 at 7:20 am
I love this post. It is beautiful. I too enjoy the person I love just breathing beside me. You are a beautiful writer
July 6th, 2009 at 12:02 am
This is beautiful,
I linked it on my blog, i hope you don’t mind.
July 9th, 2009 at 7:32 am
Hey, what a wonderful article!
I really enjoyed it.
Keep writing.
August 8th, 2009 at 12:05 pm
Wow, that is beautiful. You really are a great writer.
September 2nd, 2009 at 9:07 pm
I came upon your blog a few weeks ago, and since then I have been so addicted to it! I love this post… It is one of my faves… I think you both know the inspiration you bring, but I just want to reiterate- what a blessing it is to have two people in this world inspire and encourage the world!!! Awesome prose!!! Love it!!!!!!
October 1st, 2009 at 7:24 am
Oh, thanks for sharing this Marc!
This was lovely! Great writing style and content.
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