Worlds Apart, Connected by the Heart...and Pins
Hey gang!
So, heads up, this is going to get sappy. You've been warned.
A little backstory:
For the past few years, I have been talking with someone, he goes by Tai here on the interwebs, who has become perhaps one of my closest friends. Beyond that, I'm head over heels for this guy and I am 99% positive he feels the same way. But this isn't just some little crush, it's beyond that. I'll spare you our history, but know there's a history and I'm not just reading into things. But, why don't I know, you ask? Well, that's because he's Mormon. For those of you who don't know, being gay in the Mormon church isn't exactly a plus. In fact it's pretty bad. Like, he could get excommunicated kinda bad. So he's been fighting his feelings, fighting his identity, and we've really gotten closer and he's become so much more comfortable with himself. Now, you're still wondering why he just hasn't said it. Well, that's because just when we were getting out closest, he had to leave for his two year Mormon mission. So our communication would be ground to a halt and whatever sort of relationship we had was definitely not going anywhere for a while. So, we avoided the subject for the time being as I didn't want to see him off with any more baggage than he was already toting. Dreading not hearing from him for two years, I silently admitted to myself that it was a pipe dream; he would be a whole different person when he came back and I would be a distant memory. #drama
But, as it turns out, that's not the case at all. By weaseling around some paperwork, he has managed to get me in on his "able to communicate" list (by forgoing his real brother, I might add). So, once a week I would get emails and periodically letters whenever he could send them! I was ecstatic! This all happened in September
Fast forward to December:
I go on my first ~major~ pin trip to Disney (I had been before, but this was like legit, hahah!) On this trip, I was determined to get Tai something special. I poked around, couldn't really decide on anything, especially because what he can get is very VERY limited. No apparel, that's for sure, and their belongings are a little limited as well. So, what I finally decided on was to get ourselves a matching pair of pins. I would have one, and he would have the other:
Since ~I'm~ the smart one, I get Chip, and I planned on sending him Dale. So, I asked him if I could send it (i.e. could he have it at all) and he said he would make it happen if it killed him. So I sent it off. I kept Chip on my board (if you've looked at my collection you might remember it among my "with a story" pins) and anxiously awaited for him to get Dale.
A few weeks later, he said he got the pin, so it survived the trip! But he was going to have to figure out something to do with it. He couldn't wear it out or anything because they can't have commercial property showing while on their mission, so he wasn't sure yet. I figured he would just pin it to his binder or something or just hang on to it. I was just happy to know that he got it.
And now for the present:
So, I had a very rough morning. My class went poorly, I hadn't slept much, I was majorly behind in my work, and it was just a blah morning. I come back to my office to find that Tai has sent me my weekly email. Sweet! Just what I needed today! I open up the email and the tears just started to flow. In addition to making a special binder ~just~ for my letters and pictures to him, he sent me this picture:
"How sneaky am I? :3 Now you'll always be with me. Right by my heart. Love you, babe!"
I just couldn't stand it. I closed my door and just cried with this HUGE smile on my face. I was so touched and oh so very happy. As soon as I could I ran home and got my pin and promptly did the same:
And so now, every day, even though we're worlds apart, separated by thousand of miles, we are connected ever so slightly by these little pins.
I just wanted to share this little story to say (and maybe remind?) that these pins are not just collectibles. Each pin has a story, has a spirit, has a naaaaaaaaame. You think the only peop---- Oh, wait, got off track there. But no, seriously, these pins mean a lot to me and I hope you have a select few that have a story behind them, maybe even a connection, that takes it beyond just a hobby. :3
Anywho, thanks for reading the ramblings of some hopeless romantic! Have a great evening! :3
~Merlin
So, heads up, this is going to get sappy. You've been warned.
A little backstory:
For the past few years, I have been talking with someone, he goes by Tai here on the interwebs, who has become perhaps one of my closest friends. Beyond that, I'm head over heels for this guy and I am 99% positive he feels the same way. But this isn't just some little crush, it's beyond that. I'll spare you our history, but know there's a history and I'm not just reading into things. But, why don't I know, you ask? Well, that's because he's Mormon. For those of you who don't know, being gay in the Mormon church isn't exactly a plus. In fact it's pretty bad. Like, he could get excommunicated kinda bad. So he's been fighting his feelings, fighting his identity, and we've really gotten closer and he's become so much more comfortable with himself. Now, you're still wondering why he just hasn't said it. Well, that's because just when we were getting out closest, he had to leave for his two year Mormon mission. So our communication would be ground to a halt and whatever sort of relationship we had was definitely not going anywhere for a while. So, we avoided the subject for the time being as I didn't want to see him off with any more baggage than he was already toting. Dreading not hearing from him for two years, I silently admitted to myself that it was a pipe dream; he would be a whole different person when he came back and I would be a distant memory. #drama
But, as it turns out, that's not the case at all. By weaseling around some paperwork, he has managed to get me in on his "able to communicate" list (by forgoing his real brother, I might add). So, once a week I would get emails and periodically letters whenever he could send them! I was ecstatic! This all happened in September
Fast forward to December:
I go on my first ~major~ pin trip to Disney (I had been before, but this was like legit, hahah!) On this trip, I was determined to get Tai something special. I poked around, couldn't really decide on anything, especially because what he can get is very VERY limited. No apparel, that's for sure, and their belongings are a little limited as well. So, what I finally decided on was to get ourselves a matching pair of pins. I would have one, and he would have the other:
Since ~I'm~ the smart one, I get Chip, and I planned on sending him Dale. So, I asked him if I could send it (i.e. could he have it at all) and he said he would make it happen if it killed him. So I sent it off. I kept Chip on my board (if you've looked at my collection you might remember it among my "with a story" pins) and anxiously awaited for him to get Dale.
A few weeks later, he said he got the pin, so it survived the trip! But he was going to have to figure out something to do with it. He couldn't wear it out or anything because they can't have commercial property showing while on their mission, so he wasn't sure yet. I figured he would just pin it to his binder or something or just hang on to it. I was just happy to know that he got it.
And now for the present:
So, I had a very rough morning. My class went poorly, I hadn't slept much, I was majorly behind in my work, and it was just a blah morning. I come back to my office to find that Tai has sent me my weekly email. Sweet! Just what I needed today! I open up the email and the tears just started to flow. In addition to making a special binder ~just~ for my letters and pictures to him, he sent me this picture:
"How sneaky am I? :3 Now you'll always be with me. Right by my heart. Love you, babe!"
I just couldn't stand it. I closed my door and just cried with this HUGE smile on my face. I was so touched and oh so very happy. As soon as I could I ran home and got my pin and promptly did the same:
And so now, every day, even though we're worlds apart, separated by thousand of miles, we are connected ever so slightly by these little pins.
I just wanted to share this little story to say (and maybe remind?) that these pins are not just collectibles. Each pin has a story, has a spirit, has a naaaaaaaaame. You think the only peop---- Oh, wait, got off track there. But no, seriously, these pins mean a lot to me and I hope you have a select few that have a story behind them, maybe even a connection, that takes it beyond just a hobby. :3
Anywho, thanks for reading the ramblings of some hopeless romantic! Have a great evening! :3
~Merlin
