When Life Moves Too Fast, You Make My World Stop

This morning was not unlike our usual weekday mornings. You woke up first, squeezed me a little tighter, and whispered an “I love you” into my ear before you softly kissed my forehead and got out of bed. After you got changed, you turned on the heating pad and snuggled it under the covers with me to make sure my last bit of sleep was as cozy as possible. Then before you left to walk the dog you gently woke me up and gave me another kiss. 

While you were out, I did what I always do. I got changed, cleaned up our tea and Fresca that we sipped on while we laughed till we cried watching 21 Jump Street the night before. I made your bed because even though you say it doesn’t matter, I will never forget the time you told me how good it feels to come home to a made bed. I then stole a sip of your coffee, and wrote a note saying “Have a great day! I love you!” that I snuck into the crevice of your laptop. 

You came back, and as it always goes, it was time for you to drop me off at home on your way to work. You opened the closet door and grabbed your red fleece flannel to wear over your t-shirt, and for a moment, everything stopped. 

Even as I write this now, I am stopped. 

You make my world stop.

Everything weighing heavy on my mind disintegrates, and all of the big, bad scary things out there don’t seem as scary anymore.

Do you know how rare a feeling that is to experience? 

In a world where it seems as though we are always racing the clock and watching to see who will fall and be the next headline we can gossip about. 

Amongst all of the hustle and bustle. The seemingly endless problems at work, the balance in my bank account that I can never stop calculating in my head, my goals or lack thereof. All of the shoulds and shouldn’ts, the regrets, the deadly rabbit hole that follows the question “what if?”

Just by one look at you and your red flannel, it all stops. 

And for a moment, without even having to physically touch me, it feels as if you are holding me. 

One of the most beautiful things about it is that you don’t even have a clue you are doing it. All you did was put on your red flannel on another Monday morning. 

For months, I wasn’t able to pinpoint what this freeing, ever-so-beautiful feeling was whenever you looked at me. 

Until you put on that red flannel this morning and I finally got it. 

You have done what I never thought was possible. 

You, just as you simply are, make my world stop. 

And it’s all thanks to that darn fleece red flannel.