That Look

As a teen, presuming to know everything about the human condition I would say "It is a wrong idea to get married to your true love. I would never do it. I would rather be in an ordinary marriage and be in extraordinary love all my life ". Only a teen can be so fatally romantic.

As it turned out my true love A, and I were passionate about keeping the friendship component of our relationship alive and terrified of doing anything that might undermine it. We both thought it wiser marry people it was logical and reasonable to marry and easy to love. He made a wiser choice than I did and for that I feel grateful. We have never been unfaithful to our significant others unless that profound, unspoken connection we have with each other is construed to be infidelity.

When he became a father for the first time a few days ago, he called me almost breathless with excitement. The baby was less than an old. Uncharacteristically in the middle of a meeting, I took the call and talked at some length. B, my co-worker overheard me say "Don't wage war with your wife over the baby's name." Later he teased me "So is your friend trying to name his daughter after you ?" I know B is very sharp and perspective but the question caught me off guard.

Back in my teens, friends would say that I glowed when A was around. May be he still has that effect on me so many years later, thousands of miles apart - even perfect strangers can say he is special.