Surrounded by friends and families the room counted down the final seconds of the decade and as the clock struck midnight exploded into cheers and laughter, hugs all around and glasses loudly clinking together as people toasted the new year, the new decade and amid it all I wondered to myself are you out there?

I have searched my whole life for you and on a few occasions, I thought I had found you. I used to think I knew what you would look like, who you would be but as the years went by I realized that I couldn’t know.  You could be the person who smiles at me on the train, the one who I meet at the grocery store or bump into on the street. You could even be here tonight. You could be anyone, but I suspect I’ll know it when I find you. I’ll know the first time our smiles find each other across a crowded room.  The first time we hold each other hand. The first time we look into each other eyes and our lips meet in a kiss. A kiss that leaves us lost in the moment and stirs our emotions like no other kiss has ever did before. I’ll know it because that kiss without any words will say I found you and I love you. 

I look around the room and the glasses are still clinking; the smiles are still all around and then out of nowhere your smile captures my eye from across the room.  I walked over smiled and said Happy New Year and I thought to myself yes, I know you’re out there and maybe just maybe we just shared our first smile.