The Man I Haven’t Met Yet

I don't know you yet.

I don't know your name,

the sound of your voice,

or the way you look

when you're trying not to laugh.

I don't know what your favorite song is,

what makes you angry,

what makes you nervous,

or what you do when you're having

one of those days

where everything feels like too much.

I don't know you.

But sometimes,

I think about you.

Not in some perfect,

fairytale kind of way.

Just little thoughts.

Like wondering where you are right now.

Maybe you're somewhere

drinking coffee before work.

Maybe you're sitting with your friends,

laughing about something stupid.

Maybe you're lying in bed

thinking about your own future,

just like I am.

Maybe you haven't even thought

about me yet.

And that's okay.

I haven't met you either.

But I hope life is being kind to you.

And if it isn't,

I hope you're learning

how to be kind to yourself.

I hope you've made mistakes.

Real ones.

The kind that embarrass you

when you remember them at night.

I hope you've loved someone

and had your heart broken.

I hope you've learned

that saying sorry doesn't make you weak.

I hope you've learned

that being a man

doesn't mean hiding every feeling

until nobody knows what's happening

inside your head.

Because when you meet me,

I don't want a perfect man.

I want a real one.

Someone who can tell me,

"I'm having a bad day,"

instead of disappearing.

Someone who can admit

when he's wrong.

Someone who knows

that communication isn't weakness.

Someone who understands

that sometimes I won't need advice.

Sometimes I'll just need

you to sit beside me

and let me be quiet.

I hope you notice little things.

The way I get quiet

when something is bothering me.

The way I laugh harder

when I'm genuinely comfortable.

The things I pretend

I don't care about

but secretly do.

I hope you remember

the stories I tell you.

Even the boring ones.

Especially those.

Because I think love lives

in little things like that.

Not just roses.

Not just dates.

Not just beautiful pictures

that look good online.

Love is remembering.

Love is checking in

because you thought of me.

Love is knowing

when to hold me

and when to give me space.

Love is choosing each other

even on the ordinary days.

And I hope you choose me.

Not once.

Not only when everything

between us feels exciting.

I mean on the difficult days too.

When we're annoyed with each other.

When one of us is tired.

When life gets expensive

and stressful

and neither of us knows

what we're doing.

I want the kind of love

that survives real life.

Maybe we'll have silly arguments.

Maybe you'll steal my food

and pretend you didn't.

Maybe I'll complain

about something small

and you'll laugh at me.

Maybe we'll have nights

where we don't say much at all.

Just you beside me.

And honestly,

I think I'd like that.

I don't need some grand love story.

I don't need you

to sweep me off my feet every day.

I just want to feel safe.

Safe enough to be soft.

Safe enough to tell you

when I'm hurt.

Safe enough to love you

without constantly wondering

when you're going to leave.

And I promise

I'll try to give you

that same safety.

I'll learn you too.

Your bad days.

Your quiet moments.

Your dreams.

Your fears.

The things you don't tell everyone.

I'll love the person you are

while still encouraging

the person you're becoming.

So, to the man

I haven't met yet,

wherever you are,

please take your time.

Become who you need to become.

Live your life.

Make mistakes.

Grow.

Laugh.

Travel.

Learn.

And don't worry

about finding me too quickly.

I'm still becoming myself too.

Maybe that's why

we haven't met yet.

Maybe we both have some growing

left to do.

And when the day finally comes,

when our paths cross

and I hear your name

for the first time,

I hope something in me

feels strangely familiar.

I hope I'll look at you

and think,

Oh.

So it was you.

The man I hadn't met yet.

The man I had been waiting for

without even knowing

I was waiting.