There are moments in life that quietly divide us into before and after. Not because they are loud or dramatic, but because once experienced, the world no longer feels the same.
Because of him, I have known many firsts.
My first flight was not just about leaving the ground. It was about trust, about stepping into the unknown with someone who made fear feel manageable. I remember the strange mix of excitement and disbelief, the way the world looked smaller from above, and how something inside me widened. That first journey taught me that I was capable of more than I had imagined.
Then came my first visit to Cape Town. A city of beauty, contrast, and deep feeling. What struck me most was not only the landscape, but the people. Seeing so many faces that looked like mine, living freely, visibly, confidently, was an eye opener. It stirred something tender and affirming. It reminded me that belonging is not always about place, but about recognition. That experience reshaped how I see myself in the world.
And then there was a first that changed everything else.
The first man who ever said, “I want to hold your hand through this life.” Not as a passing phrase, but as a promise. A statement of presence. Of commitment. Of walking forward together, side by side. Akin and Brian, together. Not perfectly, not without challenges, but with intention and care.
He is a man of pure understanding. The kind that listens before responding. The kind that does not rush growth or demand certainty. He understands that life unfolds in layers, and that love is not about possession, but companionship.
As his birthday draws close, I find myself reflecting less on what I can give him, and more on what he has already given me. New experiences. New courage. New ways of seeing myself and the world. Firsts that became foundations.
Some gifts do not arrive wrapped or on time. Some gifts arrive quietly and change the course of a life.
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