I’m not an expert so I won’t pretend

But I’ll share what I do know

My own experiences – my daily trend

So many want love

So many want a true friend

So I say friendship is the best place to begin

We’ve been married nearly 8 years now

Me and the man I love the most

I often wonder why and how

He chose me and still does

But I won’t boast

Again, I’m just here to tell my story

For as much as I tell it, it never bores me

You can call it advice if you like

We met at church when we were teens

From nobodies to close friends and everything in between

He was friends with everyone

So I thought nothing of it when he called me one day

Then later when we met on the regular to hang out and have fun

One day I realized how hurt I would feel

Should he ever get a girlfriend; how would I deal?

What would happen to the time he and I’d spend

“Dating” was a taboo word within our cult

But we were okay because I was just a girl who was his friend

So there was no need to bolt

One day we were playing cards

And he asked me if we were dating

It wasn’t a question I wasn’t anticipating

We thought about it for a day or two

Then made official what we already knew

I got to be his girlfriend

For he liked me liked me

And I liked him liked him

Similar to Arnold and Lila on our favorite show

We simply liked being together

In our church frustrations

At movie theatres

Wal-Mart too

Lots of meaningful conversations

Intellect matters as well

Who knew?

More and more I wanted to be with him

For it seemed I’d found a true friend

An effortless jive

A perfectly fitting shirt

Like ocean and sun

Ever-alive

More and more he was the one I adored

The one I wanted more and more

To just be with him

To share this life

Eight years later I am his wife

Still even now he’s my favorite

The one I want – and no one else

Through the torn ACLs and the rhinoceros bumps

Shelter dogs, work outs, bruises and stomach lumps

Through the zoo and the Scope

ODU and DePaul

When we’re together I feel like I’ve got it all

Taxes and winter and the ending of chapters

But our love and friendship triumphs

And even in the mundaneness of life

There’s always laughter

So I say to the younger ones and those searching

This is what matters

Seek a friend

And be a friend

Be who you are

Make Jesus your foundation

Before seeking another

First give Him your heart