Happy First Anniversary! Where do I even begin..? @rmarieee94, you entered my life during a murky time filled with tribulation, a time where I felt alienated from society, and at times, detached from reality. With the pandemic in full-swing and in-between multiple, variant-driven surges, you found me focused, driven, and resilient— yet hollow inside. Despite that, you took a leap of faith and our paths crossed.. ..at our hospital’s blood bank. 🤓🩸🧪 Overtime, you diffused my stubbornness, and impatience, with kindness and humility. In one year’s time, you allowed me to grow individually and accomplish personal goals, while also growing together and learning more about each other’s strengths, passions, and limits— we became a team. Eventually, filling up that hollow center. One year later, here we are now— still in the race, still as a team. Our journey together has not always been easy, but it is worth pushing through each challenge by your side. I know I can be difficult, and I know I can be frustrating, but know that I am grateful for your patience and sincerity, always. I am still overcoming my demons and I couldn’t have gotten this far without your understanding. Thank you for your selflessness. 🙏🏼🥹 For a long time, in order to adapt to new stressors I went into this mental survival mode— fortifying my resolve, but also compartmentalizing my emotions from all sorts of traumatic experiences. For high stress environments and situations, it enabled me to be efficient— however, applying it to everything else, just made me seem cold-hearted, disconnected, and selfish. You taught me it’s okay to feel my emotions and by processing them, allowed me to heal; finally putting a heart inside this tin man. 🤖 Here’s to year one: may we experience many more together! 🥂✨ I love you babe, Happy Anniversary! 💐💝 https://www.instagram.com/p/CeXQVNQJ9lS/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=