What sets your heart on fire?

http://mentalfloss.com/article/58771/27-offbeat-college-essay-topics
Essay #6 of 27.

I almost never met her. My best friend from high school was getting married on a Saturday afternoon, and I was just minutes away from deciding not to make the drive from my apartment in St. Louis to my former home town of Poplar Bluff. At the last minute, my sister reminded me not to be selfish about it and just go. With little time to spare, I put on my best suit and headed south.

I arrived at the church less than ten minutes before the wedding was to start. Although the church wasn't that full, I still sat near the back. A young woman sat about 5-6 rows ahead of me. When she turned, I noticed how pretty she was. When we arrived at the location for the wedding reception, I couldn't take my eyes off her, although I forced myself to do so, lest she think I was a creepy stalker.

I lacked the courage or self-confidence to approach her cold; I had to wait for my friend, the groom, to arrive. He told me her name and walked me over to her table to introduce us. We talked for a while, danced a few times, then spent the next three days getting to know each other. I had worn only my suit because I had no intention of staying the night. I had to go to JCPenney's for a few shorts and T-shirts to get me through the next few days.

That Saturday was July 1, 1995. I went back to St. Louis on July 4, only because she already had plans with her parents for the holiday. By the end of the month, I was making plans to break my apartment lease, quit my job, and move back home to be with her. This year, we will celebrate 20 years of marriage.

My heart still burns for Amy. We're still in the process of raising four of our six children, our two oldest daughters now married themselves, the eldest with two children of her own. We've gone from newlyweds to grandparents in the blink of an eye. She knows me better than I know myself, and we make each other laugh.

She's the first person I see in the morning and the last person I see before I go to sleep. If I have to run errands in town, I ask her to come with me just so we can hang out. We like to hold hands when we walk, and it still makes me smile to kiss her.

My teenage and college years were mostly lonely, and I didn't meet her until I was 27. I was beginning to get myself used to the idea of living alone. Because of her, I know I will never be alone for as long as I live. She's my best friend, the love of my life, and she still sets my heart on fire the way she did the day we first met.