The Best Day of My Life (Anniversary Edition)

In many ways, it was the best day of my life…

We’d been talking for about a month. On AIM, because we’re old school like that.. Staying up past 3AM in order to completely exhaust our lists of favorite movies, our favorite foods, and our answers to questions like, “Would you rather be deaf or blind?” You know, the stuff that matters.. And as it happened, the day came when your hinting at having never before seen my favorite movie but reeeally wanting to, finally paid off. We sat on my bed as To Kill a Mockingbird played on the screen. I said I had to do homework at the same time, which, for whatever reason, required me to sit a good two feet from you. (I was nervous, okay?!) You didn’t quite understand. But you smiled anyway. Then the credits rolled. You played with the corner of the pillow in my lap, and your voice got all scratchy. “Um… I’ve been wanting to talk to you about something…” You liked me. And although you were graduating in five days, and moving to NYC in only a few more.. And although I was just a dumb sophomore about to head home to farmville for the summer… You liked me. And as we, AKA, I, wondered how on earth this could work, I said what no guy ever likes to hear. “I just need time.”

We waited. We waited a week. Through portfolio reviews and presentations and geology finals that absolutely suuucked. We prayed. We sought the advice of our friends and family. And just like a girl, I recounted every last bit to Steph, and Sarah, and Jess.

On the best day of my life, you came over to talk after a week completely void from our AIM logs. We broke the immediate tension with a movie. My second-favorite. And as you sat through the glorious singing and dancing of men that is Newsies, I knew you were in this for the long haul. I had no homework. So I sat closer this time.. And somewhere between Carryin’ da Banner and Seize the Day, you slipped your hand in mine. I called you tricky. But you knew I needed the push. The rest of the night was filled with the stuff that really did matter. Completely exhausting our stories of how God had redeemed us, how our parents had raised us, and answering questions like, “What’s your favorite book?” You mentioned that you were currently reading Hemingway. For FUN. And that was that.

On May 7, 2008.. On the best day of my life… I knew I had to have you.

Happy anniversary, my love.

In memory of my longer hair, copyright Gina Meola.