And a little more from my heart...
This is my first time celebrating your birthday with you. I know you must feel a little disappointed because, this year, I can only be with you virtually. I know how it feels when you see other couples at school, always walking side by side, while I for so many reasons can't be right there with you just yet. I can't give you real warmth, real hugs, or real kisses. Nor can I wrap my arms around you from behind when you are sad or hurting, hold your hand tightly, and give you strength through my touch. In this regard, I know I haven't been the boyfriend you deserve.
"May the Lord keep watch between us to make sure that we keep this covenant when we are out of each other's sight" ————Genesis 31:49
But just as the Bible passage says, it was God who brought us together. He rejoices with us when we are happy; He gives us the strength to keep moving forward when we argue; and He makes sure we feel each other's presence through countless nights of missing one another. God wants us to keep walking this path together, until the day we finally hold each other, kiss, and stroll hand in hand by the lake, taking in the scenery. I can't wait to just gaze at you in the warm sunset, with every strand of your hair and every inch of you glowing in the light. And ultimately, with the permission and blessings of our families, we will have our wedding.
In the golden twilight of Paris, I will slip an engagement ring onto your finger beneath the Eiffel Tower; in the shimmering waves of the Seine, we will set sail side by side in a small boat covered in roses; on a terrace in Santorini, witnessed by the blue-domed churches and the Aegean Sea, I will kiss your fingertips; and high up in the clouds of the Jungfrau, amidst the pure white snow of the Top of Europe, I will let the entire Alps listen to my heartbeat for you.
Eventually, we will have our own family and our own children. I will tell them how deeply their mom and dad loved each other. I will tell them how gentle, beautiful, and adorable their mother is. I will tell them that the story in Ed Sheeran's song "Perfect" is exactly our story. And I will tell them that, in my heart, their mother will always be the girl most deserving of being cherished in this entire world.
I love you.