P R E L U D E
They say that you can fall in love with as little as one look. A single glance that, in the right direction and at the perfect time, serves to set off a chain of events that all but defy reality. For an infinite moment, the world ceases to turn - while the rest of time slows, your heart rate triples; while your body temperature spikes to the point of clammy palms, a chill manages to run down your spine; and while the room may be filled with people; the only person you can see is them.
They say it feels different for everyone. For some it's similar to the shock of being struck by lightning – jolting and electrifying. For others it resembles the sensation of getting the wind knocked out of you – sudden and breathtaking. Some describe the phenomena like the feeling before standing in front of a large assembly or the moments before a 5.6 magnitude earthquake.
But for me it was like a moment of revelation – like seeing your life as an incomplete puzzle for the first time and realising that it's because you were missing half the pieces. Like finally finding the anchor point to which your soul is tethered to after tracing your heart strings through the maze of life.
Yes; for me, meeting him didn't equate to sparks, flames or fireworks – nothing exhilarating nor electrifying. It was quiet and familiar – a feeling that relaxed my racing heart and calmed my reeling thoughts. In a new place full of unrecognisable faces, his presence was like seeing a distant lamppost in the middle of a snowstorm – indistinguishable but alluring. It was like the distant sound of fire crackling after wiping snow off the bottom of boots and filling the empty rack reserved for your coat at the end of a long day.
It was like coming home.
