When you meet someone who instantly brings calm, joy, and warmth into your life, it feels like a rare gift. This is the story of that kind of relationship—one built on love, loyalty, and true companionship. With a few life lessons sprinkled in, this story will tug at your heartstrings, while making you smile at the little quirks of life.
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Meeting someone who feels like Sunshine—Is it real or Just a Dream?
They say that sometimes in life, you cross paths with someone who instantly makes you feel calm, refreshed, and like you’re finally breathing easy. Well, they never say where you’re likely to cross paths with this person. A park? A coffee shop? Maybe, a garden centre while shopping for plants you probably won’t water? Trust me, the last one is truer than you think.
It was one of those days when life felt a little too heavy, and I had escaped into my usual weekend ritual of "shopping for houseplants and pretending I know how to care for them." The air was heavy with the smell of freshly watered soil, and as I stood in front of a row of ZZ plants, contemplating which one would die slower under my negligence, I heard a voice behind me.
"Did you know that a ZZ plant can survive almost anything? Even you, probably."
I turned to see a woman who was somewhere between thirty and forever-young, with curly auburn hair that seemed to have a life of its own. She had freckles that danced across her nose and a pair of eyes so bright they could have given the sun a complex.
I let out a laugh, more surprised than offended. "Is it that obvious I am a terrible plant parent?"
"Not obvious, just… probable," she said, grinning. "But that is the beauty of a ZZ plant. It is basically indestructible. If plants had personalities, this one would be the no-nonsense, ‘I have got my own back’ type."
I chuckled. "I will take it then. One less plant to kill."
She held out her hand, "Annette, fellow plant enthusiast and aspiring bad influence."
"Bad influence? On houseplants?"
"No, on you."
And that was the start of it. Of us.
What makes someone feel like home?
Now, I am not one to believe in love at first sight, or fate, or any of that Hallmark movie nonsense. But there was something about Annette that just felt… right. She had a way of making everything seem easy, like the world was a little brighter just by having her in it.
As we talked more, I found myself sharing things with her that I hadn’t even admitted to myself. How I felt stuck in a job that drained my soul, how I was afraid that I’d never find something I was passionate about, and how sometimes, I just felt like I was existing instead of living.
"You know, you don’t have to have it all figured out today," Annette said, taking a sip of her coffee. We had wandered over to a café after our little plant escapade, and it felt like we’d known each other for years instead of just hours. "You just need to find little things that make you feel alive."
"Like ZZ plants?" I teased.
"Like whatever makes you laugh," she corrected, her smile soft but genuine.
It was as if she had a sixth sense about people, a way of knowing exactly what you needed to hear, even when you didn’t know it yourself. She was the kind of person who encouraged your dreams without a hint of jealousy, celebrated your wins like they were her own, and listened to your fears without judgement.
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When do you know you have found a soulmate?
Weeks turned into months, and we became inseparable. Not in the "let us move in together and merge our lives immediately" kind of way, but in the "I need to tell you about my day because you make everything better" kind of way.
Annette had this infectious energy that made even the most mundane moments feel magical. We would do simple things like cooking dinner or going for a walk, and it felt like an adventure. There was no pressure to be anyone other than ourselves, and that was the most liberating thing I had ever experienced.
"Do you ever feel like you are living in a sitcom?" I asked her one night while we sat on my couch, eating takeaway.
"Every day," she said, without missing a beat. "Except I think we are the side characters who accidentally stole the spotlight."
I laughed. "So who is the main character?"
She thought for a moment, then grinned. "Probably the ZZ plant. It is thriving."
I looked over at the plant in the corner of my living room. It had somehow managed to stay alive despite my best efforts to ignore it.
"That plant’s probably the only thing in this apartment with its life together."
She rolled her eyes. "You are doing better than you think."
That was Annette’s magic. She always made me feel like I was enough, even when I didn’t believe it myself. She didn’t try to fix me or push me to be someone I wasn’t. She just... accepted me.
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How do you celebrate the wins?
One of the things I loved most about Annette was how genuinely happy she was for my successes. When I got a promotion at work, she was the first person I called. Her excitement was so contagious, it made me feel like I’d won the lottery.
"You did it!" she practically screamed into the phone. "You are going to crush it."
"It is just a promotion," I said, trying to downplay it. "It is not that big of a deal."
"It is huge," she insisted. "You have worked hard for this. I am proud of you."
There wasn’t a trace of envy in her voice, just pure, unfiltered joy. And that is rare. In a world where people often measure their own worth by comparing it to others, Annette was different. She was happy for me simply because she wanted the best for me.
"You know," she said later that night over celebratory drinks, "I always knew you were going places. You just needed to believe it."
"And what about you?" I asked. "What are your dreams?"
She shrugged, her eyes twinkling. "I am still figuring that out."
And that was okay. Because with Annette, there was no rush to have all the answers. Life was about the journey, not the destination. And she was the best travel companion I could have asked for.
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What happens when life isn’t perfect?
Of course, life wasn’t all sunshine and rainbows. There were tough days too. Days when I felt overwhelmed, or when Annette was dealing with her own challenges. But even in those moments, we had each other.
One night, after a particularly bad day at work, I called her, and she could hear the frustration in my voice before I even said anything.
"Rough day?" she asked gently.
"You could say that," I replied, running a hand through my hair.
"Want me to come over?"
"Yes," I said, without hesitation.
She showed up twenty minutes later with a bottle of wine and a movie we both hated but loved to mock. We sat on the couch, not talking much, just being there for each other. And that was enough.
What is the secret to feeling alive?
Looking back, I realise that Annette was right. You don’t need to have everything figured out. You just need moments that make you feel alive—whether it is laughing over a terrible movie, planting a ZZ plant you will probably forget to water, or sharing your dreams with someone who believes in you more than you believe in yourself.
Life is messy and complicated, but if you’re lucky, you’ll meet someone who makes it all seem a little less daunting. Someone who encourages your dreams, celebrates your wins, and stands by your side through the tough times.
And when you find that person, hold on to them. Because they are the ones who make life worth living.
Do you have someone like Annette?
Do you know that feeling? When someone comes into your life and suddenly, everything just feels a little bit brighter? They’re warm, loving, and loyal. They make you laugh when you feel like crying, and they encourage you to be the best version of yourself without even trying. Have you found your Annette?
FAQ about the power of true connection
How do you know if someone is a true friend or a passing phase?
How can you maintain a connection like this?
Tushar Mangl is a Counsellor and Author of The Avenging Act. He writes on personal finance, Vastu, mental health, food, leisure, and creating a greener, better society. Speaker, author of Hey Honey Bunch, Ardika, and I Will Do It.
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