Words flowed effo□tl□ssly bet□een us, weav□ng a tapes□ry o□ shared i□terests, diverge□t □iewpoi□□s, and mutual under□tandin□. The second encounte□ acted as a□b□□dg□, □o□nect□ng□our pa□t interactio□s with the p□ssibilities of the future. □here w□s a□s□□se of comfor□ in t□e familiari□y, tempere□ wi□h the□exhilar□ti□n of □i□cover□ng new f□c□ts of each o□her□s □ersonal□ties.□