All love begins with a spark. Those who kindle and nourish that spark will watch it become a roaring fire that no force can extinguish. I came to Boston on business and made a visit to my old friend Xiaoxi Wan for the weekend. The time was eight AM when I had awoken abruptly. I stare at Xiaoxi to find him asleep with his computer still on, placed next to his bedside. I went over to shut it down for him, when I saw what was on his screen, it was Laura. The two had fallen asleep with each other on skype, something that they often do. I have teased my friend Xiaoxi on numerous occasions about his seemingly abnormal ritual with his beloved girlfriend Laura Gibbs. As strange as his interaction with Laura was, the more time I spend with him, the more I realize the extent of his love for her and the beauty of their relationship.
Where many couple has failed, their love flourished. Laura and Xiaoxi are not your typical couple, Laura is from Australia, and their relationship is long distance. The two star crossed lovers met at a party three years ago, and maintained their relationship mostly online. Our group of friends, since the very beginning have always doubt that their relationship could ever last, but time and time again they proved us wrong. I have on many occasions barraged xiaoxi with jokes about how weird it was that he kept a lock of Laura’s hair next to his bed. As I question his logic, he told me that it’s one of the few mementos he has of her, and that he keeps it close to remind him that he is living in reality and not a lucid dream. They are truly heads over heels for each other. I can’t even recall a single hangout where xiaoxi was able to restrain himself from talking about his beloved. Even after three years, they never allowed their flames to fade to ember. Their love for each other is the one you would find in romance novels, in the mind of poet, a love that’s unbound by distance, and the love most people search their entire life for. If you are lucky enough to find love like this, hold on to it, cherish it, and never let it go.
