It was a warm summer night...

Living near the mountains is one of the greatest benefits for a warm summer day. Especially the Rocky Mountains where the coolness of the mountain heights and dryer air. She and her partner had been hiking for a few hours. The trail mostly dusty without a lot of shade. She could feel the warmth in the air in her nostrils with the combined smell of the wild flowers, the pine trees and the mists of the river cascading down the winding canyon. Coming to a crossing on the trail there had been carefully placed logs on the to cross with the still high waters in early June. She held his hand as she steadies herself on the log and then walked ahead of him balancing as she went being careful with the slippery wet spots on the log where the river water had splashed up. They continued up the trail but she was lost in thought.

This was the first time meeting her partner. She picked him up from the airport just hours ago, a stranger, but a dearest friend all the same. They had been communicating for years. It all started from a reddit post he made. It seemed to call to her. It was as if she didn't know how to stop from sending that DM to ask if it was okay to talk and discuss his post. Seeking a pen pal, but never anticipating the butterflies she felt. He was different from others. He had a way with words, but yet here on the trail and picking him up, he didn't seem quite as confident as she imagined. He seemed calm and confident, just quieter than she thought he would be. He was a perfect gentleman. Offering to drive, opened her door, helped with her backpack, getting it situated.

Independently they had been exercising to get them ready for the week long adventure. Climbing a total of 3 thousand feet of ups and downs for 12 miles in all didn't seem ideal. But the idea of having complete time away from the world and this man she had come to know. He had shared everything under the sun with her. His past successes and mistakes. His heartaches, is hopes and dreams. His theories on the eternities, life, sciences and his passion of advancing technologies.

He wasn't in the best of shape, well much better when they first met online. He had been through the rapids of life. Yet he lost weight, enhanced his career and came to excel in his relationships with his family. He was quite broken when I met him, or maybe just surviving.

Granted, I had been similar in some regards, and even though he seemed broken from a given perspective, it was interesting how much he had even in the early days been a strength to me as well as even to himself in propelling him forward as well as me.

Over the years his family grew and his marriage although he tried, couldn't be repaired. Mine was similar, the gap was too great. We decided early on not to ever meet prior to ourselves figuring out our relationships with our spouses. It is crazy it has been a year since his divorce was finalized. He figured if mormons can wait a year to go through the temple, a post mormon would be able to wait to feel settled individually prior to perusing something more. We had both expressed our care for each other. We hadn't said the L word, which is odd, in some ways, but we also felt it needed to be said in person. Since we had both been through tough relationships, we were comfortable taking time and space. If it holds, it holds. Worst case is we have a beautiful friendship that comes out of it. You know you have discussed everything when you discuss if and when the L word might be shared, and if both were comfortable.

She came out of her trance of thinking back on things to hearing him huff and puff up the trail. She giggled at him and said, come on you old fart. A joke between them with him being 4 1/2 years older than him. He smiled as he caught his breath and in drinking some water spashed some of water at me telling to respect my elders. Glancing up we could see the water falls. We knew the meadow wasn't far away. It was approaching evening, enough time to rest, prepare the camp and plan out the rest of the week.

As we approached the meadow's treeline boundary, I felt him hold my hand and point in the distance as we see a doe and her two fawn standing still looking in our direction, ready to prance. We watched them for some time, enjoying the feel of his hand in mine. I felt so safe and secure, at peace. Enjoying seeing the blue butterflies among the yellow flowers and with the occasional sage Indian Paint Brush. We continued to the other side of the meadows and found a nice camping spot. It hadn't been used for at least a few days. No trash around, with a good ring for the fire pit. The trees had a mixture of some pine, aspen and even some oak trees. The sound of the aspens with their leaves flapping in the wind brought me back to childhood memories. Often time visiting the mountains after a long day on the farm.

We unpacked, set the tent up and setup the sleeping bags the rain fly, the make shift cooking stand. As he didn't want to bring a camping backpack on the plane, he had his sent to my place where we walked through together how to pack it. He was proud at how well I had done, keeping the weight down and also making sure we had some luxuries. We knew it would be a light trip, with mostly essentials but we took s'mores and plenty of gear to be prepared for most anything. In preparation we had purchased initial mountain house dinners to try out ahead of time. We both liked the chicken and rice the most with lemon juice and broccoli mixed in.

I was surprised at how quickly it was getting to towards night time, the chill in the air we threw on sweatshirts and shared a blanket, and from the big log we sat on overlooked the valley below with the sun setting, the pink glow of the clouds feeling his warm hand around my shoulders. I looked at him and smiled and told him how safe I felt. His soft grin and piercing eyes and relaxed eye browse was all he needed to say, but in his deep but calming voice expressed his complete peace. He took my hand and expressed his love to me. How he had been dying in side to say it and so happy to say so now. I saw a tear come down his cheek, he didn't even wipe it away. Knowing that he felt completely safe with me as well. Coming from a marriage where he didn't feel safe, to know being out of that marriage and my partner, hopefully in the rest of our lives. A true authentic, kind man. An honest vulnerable man that is reflective on life and seeking the best in it. I stayed silent for a few seconds, which probably sounded like an eternity. My in my quirky behavior was tempted to burp, while saying I love you too.... an inside joke as one of our first phone calls had us talking while eating dinner and him accidentally letting out a big burp. We laughed so hard. It became a joke between us. He is often times so serious, but when he is goofy, it absolutely brightens my day and levitates my soul. I composed myself and told him I absolutely 100% loved him and adored him. I felt the emotions come on sudden and strong, my soul breaking as I too felt the tears explode out of me, my body almost convulsing to the reaction that so over took me. After what seemed like forever I felt myself calm his arms around me, my head into his chest, feeling his heart pounding. I looked into his eyes as he wiped my tears. Then slowly bending down to me and kissing me for the first time, feeling his soft lips on mine. His warm hands against my cooled tear damped face. I'm not sure how long that kiss lasted, but it felt like a lifetime as time seemed to stop and hold still. As if nature paused time to witness the love that had been blossoming.

Before we knew it, the embers had all died out, and we noticed the chill start to hit us. He made sure the coals were cool and we headed off to the tent. We hadn't really talked about this. How our sleeping arrangements going to work. Obviously we were going to sleep together, but for two people so in love, we surprisingly hadn't talked about it, which is odd looking back as we had discussed intimacy in so many aspects of our lives. We hadn't left much of anything out of our lives. He changed his shirt and I teased him about not wearing his garments. He quipped and said, okay miss wearing a tank top and miss shorty short shorts. I knew he liked what I was wearing and my form as he knew I had caught him a few times in admiration through the day. I loved that he as attracted to me, even though he reassured me he was. He rolled to the side facing away from me giving me a chance to slip into a night shirt I had brought. I debated about long flannel pants, but thought I would save those for the brisk morning cold air.

I told him he could roll over after I had slid into my bag. I then asked him to have his zipper on the same side facing me, he quizzically smiled as the light hit his face from the candle like lighting coming from the flashlight hanging from the tent. He did so and I proceeded to manipulate the sippers to join our bags together. he was so silent during it, I was wondering if I was making a mistake. Was he not ready? Was this too soon? It feels so right and natural. He closes the distance and kisses me deeply, as if answering my question. I melt into his arms as his I lay on his chest, but our hips are apart. I smirked as I had a thought come to mind. Recognizing why he was hesitant. As part of our evolving discussions we had joked about common phrases in the Mormon culture and religion on the sexual innuendoes. Come come ye saints and hold to the rod. I busted out laughing a little at the thought, he confused laughed wondering if he had done something wrong, hit a funny sensitive spot on my neck this his hand or something. I looked at him and asked, how firm a foundation? He blushing laughed.. but then smirked and told me to hold to the rod. Oh I stepped into that one... I took the flashlight and held it under the sleeping bag and quickly noticed that we had to well put together tents.

Needless to say it was a night of laughs, a lot of passion, and some intense intimacy. After the after glow of it all we both sang come come ye saints. We felt joined completely now, as one in all ways possible in this mortality. As we had agreed to, we pulled out a small copy of the Book of Mormon. While we didn't know where we were on the literal, we agreed that as reformed mormons, we would use it in our relationship. He didn't believe in the literal aspects of it. I did. He then offered the most beautiful prayer of authenticity, kindness and love. He prayed a little different than I do, but I love his perspective even if it isn't all mine. He lifts my soul when he prayes. He made sure to include Heavenly Mother and for raising such a beautiful daughter.

Our relationship was built on choosing authenticity, respect, kindness and safety despite view points.... We didn't see all of the peaks and lakes we had scheduled that week, but we had a lot of peaks that were climbed regardless. All of the electrolyte packets were used up and a lot of extra water needed to be purified, good thing I thought to bring an extra filter.

For those reading this, even though mormonism is different for me now, know it is beautiful for where I have settled in finding Jesus, my Lord, my savior. He saves us all. He saved me, he saved my man and no matter what narrative you transition to, love is the answer, love is the way. Come one, come all, we are all the body of Christ.