AJ on Leah
Long before our paths crossed my soul was already learning how to find its way to Leah’s. I have always felt the instinct to carve my own path. I owe this sense of adventure to the community of family and friends who have guided me, lifted me, and grounded me. However, all the way back in 2005, my world halted when I learned I had Ulcerative Colitis. I remember the shock—wondering why my own body would fight against me, why I was chosen for such a devastating blow.
An experience like that forces you to grow up before your time, making you keenly aware of how fragile life truly is. Those long hospital hours gave me space to reflect, to examine my deepest thoughts, and to trust the quiet instincts within me. Over the next two decades, I faced only a handful of flare-ups—until the one at the start of 2023. It was different: less painful, but stubbornly unshakable. As I sat in solitude, just trying to survive it, something urged me to reclaim control of my body and mind. I let distractions fall away, chose healing over habit, and in that clarity, I found a renewed longing for real connection.
Cautiously, I returned to dating apps—not searching for a grand love story, just the feeling of a first date. And yet, with one simple swipe, there she was: the warmth of her laughter captured in a single photograph, adorned by a green dress—the color that always calls to me. We matched quickly, surprisingly so, given how distant my own photos felt. A small figure in grand adventures. But our early banter was easy and honest, the kind that had me checking that photo again and again, hardly believing she was real. Emboldened by all the inner work I had done, I told her I hoped we could meet soon. She replied, “I’m free Friday,” and without hesitation, my gut answered, “Then so am I.”
I was still in the lingering grip of my flare-up and on medication that forbade alcohol, which could quite possibly make a first date feel more… guarded. But our shared honesty made it easier to suggest a “dry” evening, and she stood with me in solidarity. Although we would ultimately find out her panic in the agreement, her willingness to meet me exactly where I was would be a first glimmer of our deep connection.
That evening, I recall the glow of a waxing crescent moon setting over the Hollywood Hills with Venus close in tow. As her ride pulled up, the same moon and stars seemed to shine even brighter. The bustle of people in front of the sushi restaurant faded away, and it was as if we had agreed to meet there across countless lifetimes. Any nerves that remained dissolved the instant our eyes locked. From that moment on, I couldn’t help but marvel at every sparkle of her gaze and savor each laugh—no longer just a snapshot on my phone, but a sound that breathed life into me. People often say, “When you know, you know,” and I used to think it was a nice fairytale. However, I would come to find out Leah’s specialty is bringing fairytales to life. Although my gut failed me those many years ago, in the moment we met, it seemed as though it was telling me that if I didn’t listen now I may miss the one and only person that is meant for me.
~AJ~
