She arrived early, eager to start our coffee date—there’s always plenty of time when you’re young.
I arrived just in time, my mind running through a never-ending checklist—but grateful to find a moment to reconnect.
She ordered a hot chocolate, warm and familiar.
I ordered a London Fog, something she’d eventually learn to love.
She had so many dreams, believing life would unfold just as she imagined—full of excitement and possibility.
She didn’t realize that life, as it does, would bring unexpected turns.
There would be moments of joy, but also times of sickness, of learning to navigate life far from the familiar, of adjusting to distance from family.
Through it all, she would grow, finding strength in places she never expected.
She used to worry so much about finding the right person, questioning if she was enough.
I reassured her, He finds you. And when he does, he will erase every doubt you ever had about your worth.
She was in love with the idea of love, believing it was all fairytales and romance.
I told her, Love is full of trials, but you’ll get through them—and you’ll be stronger for it.
She asked if we’d be happy in the future.
I felt a lump in my throat—she had so much hope, so much innocence.
I wiped my tears and simply said, "Of course."
I didn’t want to overwhelm her with everything I had learned—that you can’t control everything, and that life doesn’t always go as planned.
But I wanted her to know this: No matter what comes, you will be okay. Even in uncertainty, you will find your way.
She was so excited for the future.
I was just trying to make it through the day.
As we sat together, I realized—we had so much to learn from each other.
She had the hope I sometimes lost.
I had the wisdom she had yet to gain.
But through it all, our core remained the same.
Before she left, I reminded her of one thing: Stay kind. No matter what life throws at you or how much the world changes, kindness will always be your strength.