On Dec 23 a year ago, I drove to the north side to meet a guy for coffee. Recent heartbreaks had made me gun-shy, and first dates are always (at least) a little weird, and I was out of it from a long, cold run, and I decided as I sat in traffic on 90/94 that I would conduct an experiment: I would be completely open about everything. What was the worst that could happen?

In return, I got a ridiculously wonderful first date, and a year of adventures, and a love that comforts and challenges me, complements and expands me. I’m a very lucky girl.