When she was 17

WHEN SHE (SAMAHRIA) WAS 17!

The year I met her.

The year I decided to love her.

The year God blessed me with a blessing (Samahria in my life) that I could not, at the time, grasp.

The year I found my best, best friend.

The year I began to open my heart.

The year I learned to laugh and play with Samahria as my teacher.

The year we decided, together, that we wanted children and we wanted to adopt children.

The year I jumped into courses in philosophy and began educating myself about beliefs, ethics, values, aesthetics.

The year I began writing my first book, a novel.

The year I began writing my first theater play.

The year I acknowledged how lost I was, and deepened my search to make sense of myself and the world around me.

The year we both grew our love bigger.

When she was 17 and I was 18.

By gosh...that was more than half a century ago, and our love is bigger than big for each other...and our lives continue to unfold as we immerse ourselves with even more energy and power and determination and creativity in our decision to do our best to help make a difference. We could say we're still kids, much wiser now, who remain starry-eyed and energetic, mobilized to turn caring and love into meaningful action, as imperfectly as we might do that.

Thank you all (staff, students, moms, dads, and sweet friends) for caring about us and loving us back.

Hmmm...often, when I look at Samahria, I still see that 17-year-old with the bright light in her eyes, the full throaty laugh, and the love pouring from her toward me and so many others.

Sometimes I think I get it, and sometimes I think I want to grow myself even bigger so I can fully comprehend how blessed I am to have her in my life.