Author’s note: I’m going to give you a heads up that I really love Ben Rector, as evidence by this being my second blog about one of his songs. This one is about Ben Rector’s “I Like You”. Go listen before you read on.
Anyone who has ever met me for any amount of time can tell I’m wildly sentimental. I love sweet things, especially love. I secretly think my boyfriend plans his biggest work trips around the holidays just so he can avoid Christmas movie season on the Hallmark channel. He’s met my mom now, who cried kissing my puppy goodbye, and now has no excuses for not knowing what he’s getting himself into. He’s going to hate this post and I won’t tell him about it. I kind of hope he finds it eventually.
Adam and I are about to celebrate our four year anniversary. My parents were just here, and they celebrated their 40th (yes, freakin FOURTIETH) wedding anniversary. When this song came up on the radio the other day, it got me thinking…
I love him, but I like him. So much. I know everyone says this, but I really didn’t know it could be this good. I didn’t know I could be so into someone for this long.
In four years, we’ve had five jobs (four were mine), purchased six vehicles (all his), had four addresses, gotten a puppy (and taken it to Canada), bought a house, and traveled in or across 15 states together. He taught me how to ski. I taught him how to bake.
But life is not the mountain tops, it’s the walking in between.
It’s the robot noises and humming 90’s tunes while brushing our teeth. It’s butt boops and midnight roller coaster videos.
It’s the constant jokes about stealing covers, but total and flat out refusal to buy a second blanket. It’s teasing about how one of us can’t stop buying silly “art” for the powder room.
It’s the frozen pizza nights and picking our meal delivery boxes. It’s plotting out Costco runs and someone begging someone else for scones.
I like you, I like you. Even when I don’t try to.
Even when we try to be serious and one of us can’t stop crying and one of us can’t stop focusing on it.
Even when one of us is so so so far away and one of us can’t stop worrying about reciprocated feelings.
Even when one of us obsesses about reality TV and one of us just wants to zone out in front of the computer.
I love the mountain tops. I love my ski tips pointed down. I love the waterfall crossings and cliff faces. I love being 400 feet in the air, strapped in and falling. But oh, I love the moments between.