When asked how they knew their partner was right for them, most people have one defining moment that comes to mind. My moment was the night I asked Rickey to taxi over to my house from RMC. My request? To feed my dying fish boiled, deshelled peas in a last-ditch effort to save their lives. Most people would find this an absurd request, let alone from someone you had just started seeing. But Rickey, he made his made his way over and boiled those peas, no questions asked.

And that’s who Rickey has been throughout our entire relationship.

Rickey and I met one winter almost five years ago. I was a girl from Queens and he was a boy from RMC, not unlike many love stories that start in Kingston. Before we first met, I had few expectations, except like many young women I always thought Id feel the elusive spark we all learn about when we find “the one”. I thought that the anxiety and turmoil of dating were just part of falling in love. Instead, that evening I found Rickey sitting outside of our restaurant sipping hot chocolate almost thirty minutes early for our first date. Perhaps it was that moment that set the tone of our relationship. No coyness, no trickery, no uncertainty. From that point forward, I knew Rickey would love me with fierce genuineness and honesty.

After meeting during our undergrads, moving in together for a year during the pandemic, and continuing our relationship long-distance for my last two years of medical school, I am happy to say that our relationship has been road-tested (though Im certain there are more road bumps ahead). Rickey has seen me through countless early mornings, late-night calls, and some of my hardest days. Through it all, he has gone above and beyond to make those days just a bit more bearable. From staying up late on the West Coast to call me in the morning on the East Coast to making me food during late-night study sessions to sitting with me quietly after a hard day at work.

Rickey is my home.

And it is for these reasons and countless more that I love him.

The classic RMC-Queens love story, I found the love of my life through the modern romance of Bumble. Never an easy route to go, as I, an RMC male, had to battle through two weeks of ghosting until a message finally appeared and Jasmine was willing to talk to me. Later, I discovered her mom told her to “take a chance and just get out there.” (thank you, Cecilia).

For our first date, we went out for her favourite chicken fettuccine. Despite her intolerance, she was willing to risk it all for the pasta. This was my first sign that Jasmine was wild, lived in the moment, and didn’t care about the consequences. From that point on, I could only assume she lived every aspect of her life on the edge. As the date progressed things were going well as jokes and stories flowed. Jasmine delved into her efforts to acquire her hamster in grade seven, a story that would speak volumes about her character. Since her parents were staunchly against having one, she was left with no other choice but to create a PowerPoint with her reasons for having one, the financial breakdowns for care/equipment, and signed contracts from her friends that stated they would take care of the hamster in case of travel. Most of you might think she was joking, but unfortunately, you're wrong. This was as serious as Jasmine gets and I would learn that this situation exemplifies her to this day.

While the majority of Jasmine's personality is detail-driven (like come on, look at this website), hard-working, and stubborn, she has many moments of spontaneity. One of my favourite memories takes place during our two years of long distance. As we concluded one of our few trips of the year, I waited for her plane to take off. In typical YYJ fashion, the airplane was delayed, then delayed again. Impulsively, we decided that she might as well come back through security and stay for one last kiss. The kiss was perfect. Just when I thought she was gone for yet another four months, she was back in my arms for one last embrace. As it turns out, this embrace would be so perfect that we paid $700 for it. As she tried to slip back through security, but was delayed by the family ahead of her who had packed a swimming pool's worth of liquids that, of course, got flagged.

Jasmine is a whirlwind of a personality. She is also extremely kind, loyal, and reliable. If you’re reading this, you already know how lucky you are to be her friend.

I cannot believe how lucky I am to be able to call her my wife.