To Russell With Love

To love someone deeply gives you strength.

Being loved by someone deeply gives you courage.

~ Lao-Tzu

Miles apart and strangers to each other,
we set our goals for the coming year--
so often writing on the same page
without ever touching once,
even though we'd held these dreams dear
for far longer than the time
when the year, once more, became new.

How did it take so long
for our paths to finally cross?
How did the tiny spark
of our first encounter
grow so rapidly
into a full-blown fire
that both roared with passion
and gently warmed...
that both blazed
and gave a mellow glow?

Sometime
during the scheme of things
while we were preoccupied
with the business-as-usual
of turning the world upside down
and setting it on fire,
our hearts reached out to hug each other
forever.

Because of this,
we are braver, stronger, better
together
than we ever were
before the crossing of our paths
on that page of common dreams.

Miles apart,
we dream our dreams
--similar, alike, and different--
on separate pillows
in different time zones
while magically sleeping
heart-to-heart
because of our special love.

This poem of 47 lines--counting quote and spaces--was written for "Quotation Inspiration: Official Contest"  and lovingly dedicated to Russell .