My Life Partner

My best friend, my life partner. I breathe your breath, I cry your tears, I smile your smiles. I never would have known this 9 years ago. I didn't have the knowledge, the depth of love, the understanding, the respect. Unless it's your blood, it only comes over time. You have nothing to offer me but your intelligence, your heart, your humor, your unconditional love for me. And that means more than anything. I know this now. I'm still learning. I'm still endeavoring to open my eyes to see what you are able to see, to know what you know, to have the strength that you do. You are my comfort in the storm, my confidant, my trusted friend...who I entrust with my secrets, my fears, my heart, my tears, the rawest part of me. The parts that I want to hide from other people, even those closest to me, I show to you. I trust you with it. You are the person closest to me whose blood does not run through my veins. It's important. I don't know what I'd do without you, without being able to pick up the phone and hear your strong, fighting, stalwart voice...the same voice I always heard but never understood.
You're just like me, that's why I had to reject you. Smart, intelligent, brilliant, scared, dependent. I couldn't be with you because I needed someone to counterbalance my weaknesses. I didn't want to see them reflected at me day by day. Your words, your heart, your mind, your intelligence...are all on par with mine. You are my other half, my male counterpart. I admire your strength and don't think I have the same. Maybe I do, but I don't know. I hope I never have to find out. I respect you. I'm proud of you. I love you. I'm amazed by you. I'm in awe of you. I'm thankful for you. Please don't ever leave me. It will be a loss too great to bear. How can I be me without you? Without you to understand me, hear me, love me, anyway. How will I ever find someone else to love besides you? Someone who I love only because I love them? Not because of what they have, who they are, what they can give me?
How do I know I love you? Because if you found a girl...again...I'd release you again....and be happy for you...again...and always take you back and be there for you...again...and again. Because you never diresepected me, never hurt me, never did me wrong. You always said what you meant and did what you said you were going to do. The simple things are priceless. I know this now. You were always just you...being who you are, without apologies. And now I see that, and respect it.