On the subway ride I had a breakthrough. I've had a theory about life which I could never quite put into words. It's how I've always lived my life, how I made the difficult decisions in my life. I always felt it but I could never quite explain it in words. I really like you too Miriam. We had that instant connection. We are attracted physically, mentally, and emotionally. Very few people find a mate that is so close to them, matches them so perfectly on every level. I'm not orthodox but I know there is a God up there. In the Torah, God never lets Jews just have what they want with 0 effort, 0 troubles, 0 hard times. They go through perils, destruction, war, times of instability. These are all things they cannot control. But those who last through those hard times and pass God's tests are always rewarded. Most people choose a life of "stability". Settling for a "good enough" job, "good enough friends" and "good enough" mates. But we are not those people. We don't settle for the good enough. We settle for the best. The bad part is the journey to get this "the best" is hard. It's full of God's tests. He puts us in tough, uncomfortable situations. Full of temptations to make "the easy choice". But he never gives us a test we can't pass. Those people who choose the path in the search for "the best" and pass every challenge with integrity and optimism are rewarded with something others will never achieve: true happiness. The Torah makes a lot of references to "chosen people". I believe "chosen people" are those capable of achieving true happiness. And notice how in the Torah these "chosen people" are NEVER handled true happiness on a silver platter. They aren't born with it. They have to fight for it, struggle for it, and pass God's challenges. Every time the chosen people settled down started accepting "good enough" God went right up to them and flipped their world up side down. God does not want us to settle. God does not want us to give up. God wants to fight, think, and want with all our hearts, to the last drop of sweat and blood we have to achieve true happiness. I think I'm part of this "chosen people". And I think you are too Miriam. I think all our good friends are. Don't settle for "good enough", don't give up in the face of trouble. Fight for true happiness Miriam.