I finished my prayer.

I opened my eyes, and there she stood in golden light, shining with
her gaze that gave me a warm, comfortable feeling like the sun kissing my face after a long
winter morning. She looked at me and smiled her worry-melting smile; she was home.

I met Anna in 2015 when our churches set up a camp for youth from neighboring
churches in the valley and states. In Arizona, there are three churches: Phoenix, Mesa, and
East Valley church, with me being from Phoenix and Anna being from Mesa. Even though I had
grown up at the Phoenix church and visited Mesa church countless times, I had never noticed
her. But I didn't overthink it since all I had on my mind was the week-long camp and the
excitement of participating and winning in the sports events. The days would go by, and we'd
occasionally bump into each other in the cafeteria, near the tabletop games area, or just out of
nowhere, but we would never stop to talk; we'd just awkwardly say, "Excuse me." At the time, I
didn't pay attention to her all that much or notice her. All I remember was as a quiet, shy, and
lovely girl, your typical church girl. One day, out of nowhere, it started pouring ice-cold bullets at
the campsite, and the closest building to me in the 10-acre campsite was where they had ping
pong and pool. Many kids were taking refuge from the rain, dashing through the door with their
jackets and shirts over their heads to try and minimize the damage from the rain. I wanted to
avoid being near them since they already had a group going, plus most of them were from a
different state (weird, I know, but I was a kid) until I noticed Anna. Something grabbed my
attention then; perhaps it was our awkward encounters or my curiosity to learn more about her
since we were in the same state and had never adequately met or gotten to know each other
before the trip. I was very awkward trying to start a conversation with her, and so was she, but
once we got a rhythm going, she started to be more open with me. She told me how she grew
up at the Mesa church from the time she was born but regrettably didn't go as often nowadays
since high school kept her busy, how the camping trip was a lot more regular and social and a
lot less "Christian" and cringy than what she thought it would be, and how she enjoyed how I
sang in the fireplaces. We then exchanged contact information but didn't stay in touch per se.
We would comment and react to each other's social media posts, but nothing more. Back then, I
had no romantic interest whatsoever; I thought she was just a girl I met at a camp who went to
the other church in my state and had on social media...until now.

Now, after a year of being together, it's almost impossible to think without thinking of her
popping into my head and hovering over my head like a cupid. Her beaming smile radiates joy
and is so contagious you can't help but give one back. She's the transmission to my ever-
running car; she tells me when to change gears and slow down and speed up. She motivates
me to be more, not for her, but for myself and the people around me who I care about. She's the
jolt of adrenaline, the splash of cold water that I need to refresh and keep going, even after a
long and stressful day. Her kindness pours out of her and helps bloom the positive energy in the
room she's in and makes it feel lively. Even when you've had such a crappy day, her joy will fill
you up and make you forget about what you were so upset about. Whenever I'm with her, I can't
help but think of love songs and brainstorm ways to secure the loving, caring, and faithful
household that she deserves. I know some people find it annoying when love is expressed in
such a manner, but I genuinely feel sorry for them, for they haven't experienced the love, the
sacrifices, and the genuineness of Anna. I'm forever grateful to be given the opportunity to get
to know her and ultimately fall in love with her.

Not only has Anna shown me what unconditional love should look like and how it's
supposed to act, but she's also indirectly taught me how to express myself clearly and helped
me connect with people. I never fully realized it, but it immediately dawned on me when reading
the assignment description. Before this breakthrough, I was introverted, closed off, and kept to
myself. I was short-sentenced and never knew how to express myself, but ever since I met
Anna, my vocabulary, charisma, and light have drastically improved. Having this genuine
connection, this pure admiration and love towards her, has helped me be more expressive and
more connected, not just with her, but with the people in my life before being in a relationship
with her. This healthy, nutritious, and sweet fruit has not only given me the taste of something
that has helped me become more but has also given me seeds to grow and nourish previous,
current, and future relationships. This one person has helped me see the world through a new
lens, and because of that, she's allowed me to give that same gift over to others as well.