Dear Mister

Dear Mister:
If someone sat me down and demanded that I chose between thousands upon thousands of dollars and spending a day walking through the woods with you, I would always choose clambering over brambles, thorns, and rocks with you. Of course, later, you would bug your eyes and cry "Sweet goodness woman what's wrong with you!" Probably with good reason. After all, graduate school is no cake walk. But with you beside me, it sometimes seems as easy-as-pie. Okay. Enough with the bakery metaphors.

Thanks for cheering me in the subtlest ways, for seeing strength in me that I don't even see. For pointing out the good and brushing away the bad. For doing all the man things: like killing spiders, walking the pup at night, and taking out the trash. For buying green headlamps on sale because "it looked like me." For talking to me straight when I need it. For always having a hug ready.  For patting the pup good night, every night, without fail. For not laughing when I find bobby pins still tangled in my hair in the morning.

Most importantly, thanks for consistently reminding me that the best things in life are completely and totally free.