June 30, 2022
My dearest,
Here are 45 ways – and you can figure out why this number, my dear – in which you are so amazing to me:
1. You are afraid of ghosts and snakes yet you never entirely shy away from either. At least the documentary clips of them, at any rate. You confront your fears in your own way, carefully and courageously.
2. You are more forgiving of others than I am (and so I have been learning from you, gratefully).
3. How gracefully you fart. (Those intricate, complicated poses!)
4. You take such beautiful, impossibly beautiful photographs.
5. You’re consistent (see your running routine for exercise, our marriage, etc.).
6. The way you flap your hands and arms in defence, like some hybrid of mad hen and tentacled squid.
7. The way you maintain in touch with all your school and university friends. Not easy, but you manage it.
8. You enjoy Michelin-starred meals yet you also cook simple yet delicious dishes for us at home.
9. You look so very sharp in formal wear.
10. How you’ve begun to watch Japanese home cooking tips and hacks. It’s adorable, especially when you share them with me earnestly, lovingly.
11. You are our Finance Minister, planning our travel budgets and our retirement.
12. The funny, lovable faces you make when we FaceTime that only I get to see.
13. How you share photographs from your youth and also our earlier years with me oh so randomly.
14. The way you embrace positive change over time, such as switching from luxury brands to a healthier diet.
15. How engrossed you are when taking pictures with your DSLR or setting up your studio and plating the food before shooting.
16. How you got me to truly see the splendour in our own garden for the first time – the flowers and the insects and the birds and the small mammals – and now it’s the best part of my day, aside from when we talk.
17. The way you take body progress update selfies: so vain yet so cute!
18. How you dream of winning the jackpot and quitting your job – but tell me I can’t quit mine unless the jackpot is big enough…
19. How you worry about the wrinkles on your face and the fat on your belly – but don’t realise how good you look for our age.
20. You always lead me on the Right Path.
21. You are generous with our friends, especially when we meet for meals or when they visit us in Bangkok. You remind me of my father, in this.
22. The way you’d always remember to send an angpow for weddings or a “white gold” packet for wakes, when you’re unable to attend; you are a very decent man.
23. How you’d make sure to take over half the drive down to JB so I can rest and not get too tired.
24. You getting me the Bose earbuds or the Commandante coffee grinder with our casino winnings as your way of showing me that you appreciate me joining you (though I don’t gamble) and also because you always observe what I have been wishlisting (even when I forget those items myself).
25. You reminding me when I am needlessly unkind or critical of others. You’re right, of course. Always.
26. The way you’d roll your eyes at me, at my shamelessness or my wonderful dad jokes.
27. Your humility at work, though you’re clearly great at what you do, probably the best, even.
28. How perfect you are with my parents and family. Much better than I am, honestly.
29. Your sometimes strange taste in fashion…
30. How intensely you research hotels for our fantasy vacations.
31. How you have hidden gifts such as Chinese calligraphy; I wish you’d play more with these talents.
32. How you’d tease me with gruesome, bloody see hum but never actually make me eat one.
33. How your accent changes to Taiwanese whenever we are with our ABC and Taiwanese friends.
34. The way you’d exclaim “Bad tiles!” when playing Words With Friends.
35. How gracefully you throw the ball when we go bowling. Like a swan.
36. How passionately and emotionally you sing karaoke.
37. How careful and perfectionist you are when Photoshopping pictures and how much distraction-free quiet you require when writing a blog post.
38. Your preference for black coffee, and how you stick to it (unlike me).
39. You getting so much pleasure exploring unheard-of countries on Google Maps, and taking me along with you.
40. How you’d lead the way despite not knowing which direction to take, get us lost, yet I’m always happy to follow… and we arrive at our destination in the end because our destination is the two of us travelling without moving, living our life together.
41. You trying to pronounce the “TH-” and “THR-” sounds and words. (Su su na!)
42. All the café research you’re doing for the weekend when we are in different cities and have to spend our Saturdays and Sundays apart.
43. How you always remind me to drink water, eat slow slow, and basically take care of myself – the way I want to care for you.
44. The way you always look so happy in your handsome selfies – my little ray of sunshine, even on cloudy or rainy days.
45. How there is no one I rather spend time with than you.
Have a most wonderful day, my dear, a most wonderful year. Let’s celebrate!
Yours, ever and always.