Beautiful, Crystal. This reminds me so much of reflections I have had on love as well. I’ve never yet lived an “epic love” relationship, but I am acquainted with the feeling. Once, a reiki teacher asked me how you know when you’ve met your twin flame. I responded that it isn’t like all the cliches of butterflies and fireworks; you just feel really peaceful in the energy field of that person.

“That’s it,” the teacher told me. “That’s how you know. It’s the peace.”

I’ve met a lot of people in the intervening years who became my partners for varying lengths of time, and whom I can genuinely say that I love. I grew to adore the souls who came into my orbit for who they are and what they bring to this world, and to my experience personally. As individuals.

But that feeling of perfect and utter peace (and all the respect, and the healthy boundaries, and the sincere desire to cause no pain at all, and the willingness to be vulnerable) has been my standard ever since.