0:00:03.297,0:00:06.334
(music and applause)

0:00:17.251,0:00:23.625
(both) I knew exactly what love looked like.....in 7th grade.

0:00:23.741,0:00:28.858
Even though I hadn't met Love yet, if Love had wandered into my home room,

0:00:29.424,0:00:35.676
I would have recognized him at first glance. Love wore a hemp necklace.

0:00:35.863,0:00:40.274
I would have recognized her at first glance. Love wore a tight french braid.

0:00:40.741,0:00:44.724
Love played acoustic guitar and knew all my favorite "Beatles" songs.

0:00:45.093,0:00:47.304
Love wasn't afraid to ride the bus with me.

0:00:48.063,0:00:48.509
(both) And I knew....

0:00:48.509,0:00:50.564
I just must be searching the wrong class room.

0:00:50.564,0:00:55.017
Just must be checking the wrong hallway. She was there. I was sure of it.

0:00:55.017,0:00:56.739
If only I could find him...

0:00:56.739,0:00:59.171
(both) But when Love finally showed up,

0:00:59.171,0:01:00.648
she had a bowl cut,

0:01:00.648,0:01:03.213
he wore the same clothes every day for a week.

0:01:03.213,0:01:04.358
(Laugh)

0:01:04.358,0:01:05.802
Love hated the bus.

0:01:05.802,0:01:08.046
Love didn't know anything about "The Beatles."

0:01:08.046,0:01:09.154
(both) Instead,

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Every time I tried to kiss love,

0:01:10.854,0:01:13.496
(both) our teeth got in the way!

0:01:13.496,0:01:15.938
Love became the reason I lied to my parents:

0:01:15.938,0:01:18.637
I'm going to.....Ben's house.

0:01:18.637,0:01:19.066
(Laugh)

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Love had terrible rhythm on the dance floor, but made sure we never missed a slow song.

0:01:23.715,0:01:27.692
Love waited by the phone, because she knew if her father picked up, it would be:

0:01:27.692,0:01:28.471
-Hello?

0:01:28.471,0:01:29.583
(Hard frightened breathing)

0:01:29.583,0:01:30.431
-Hello?

0:01:30.431,0:01:31.355
(Hard frightened breathing)

0:01:31.355,0:01:32.425
-I guess they hung up.

0:01:32.425,0:01:33.445
(Laugh)

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And Love grew

0:01:34.466,0:01:36.610
stretched, like a trampoline.

0:01:36.610,0:01:37.742
Love changed.

0:01:37.742,0:01:43.205
Love disappeared, slowly, like baby teeth, losing parts of me I though I needed.

0:01:43.205,0:01:48.275
Love vanished like an amateur magician--everyone could see the trap door but me.

0:01:48.275,0:01:52.330
Like a flat tire....There were other places I had planned on going,

0:01:52.330,0:01:54.176
(both) but my plans didn't matter.

0:01:54.176,0:01:59.958
Love stayed away for years.And when Love finally reappeared, I barely recognized him.

0:01:59.958,0:02:02.197
Love smelled different now, had darker eyes,

0:02:02.197,0:02:05.421
a broader back. Love came with freckles I didn't recognize,

0:02:05.421,0:02:07.235
new birthmarks, a softer voice.

0:02:07.235,0:02:09.128
Now there were new sleeping patterns,

0:02:09.128,0:02:09.935
new favorite books.

0:02:09.935,0:02:12.874
Love had songs that reminded him of someone else,

0:02:12.874,0:02:14.558
songs Love didn't like to listen to.

0:02:14.558,0:02:16.682
so did I.

0:02:16.682,0:02:19.750
But we found a bench that fit us perfectly,

0:02:19.750,0:02:21.311
we found jokes that make us laugh,

0:02:21.311,0:02:24.310
and now Love makes me fresh homemade chocolate chip cookies,

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but Love will probably finish most of them for a midnight snack.

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Love looks great in lingerie but still likes to wear her retainer.

0:02:32.373,0:02:35.505
Love is a terrible driver, but a great navigator.

0:02:35.505,0:02:39.357
Love knows where she's going, it just might taker her two hours longer than she planned.

0:02:39.357,0:02:40.942
Love is messier now,

0:02:40.942,0:02:41.763
not as simple.

0:02:41.763,0:02:44.501
Love uses the word "boobs" in front of my parents.

0:02:44.501,0:02:45.407
(Laugh)

0:02:45.407,0:02:46.710
Love chews too loud,

0:02:46.710,0:02:48.204
Love leaves the cap off the toothpaste.

0:02:48.204,0:02:50.385
Love uses smiley faces in her text messages,

0:02:50.385,0:02:51.376
and turns out,

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Love shits.

0:02:53.011,0:02:55.333
(laugh)

0:02:55.333,0:02:58.754
But Love also cries, and Love will tell you you are beautiful,

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and mean it,

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over and over again.

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"You are beautiful,"

0:03:02.125,0:03:02.822
when you first wake up.

0:03:02.822,0:03:03.688
"Your are beautiful."

0:03:03.688,0:03:04.534
when you've just been crying.

0:03:04.534,0:03:05.372
"You are beautiful."

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when you don't want to hear it.

0:03:06.074,0:03:06.876
"You are beautiful."

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when you don't believe it.

0:03:07.805,0:03:08.717
"You ARE beautiful.[br]

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when nobody else will tell you.

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"YOU are beautiful."

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Love still thinks....

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You are beautiful.

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But Love is not perfect, and will sometimes forget,

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when you need to hear it most.

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(both) You are beautiful.

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Do not forget this.

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Love is not who you were expecting. Love is not what you can predict.

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Maybe Love is in New York City, already asleep. You are in California, Australia, wide awake.

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Maybe Love is always in the wrong time zone.

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Maybe Love is not ready for you. Maybe you are not ready for Love.

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Maybe Love just isn't a marrying type.

0:03:40.687,0:03:43.696
Maybe the next time you see Love is twenty years after the divorce.

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Love looks older now, but just as beautiful as you remember.

0:03:47.026,0:03:49.505
Maybe Love is only there for a month.

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Maybe Love is there for every firework, every birthday party, every hospital visit...

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Maybe Love stays...

0:03:54.659,0:03:56.761
Maybe Love can't...

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(both) Maybe Love shouldn't.

0:03:58.497,0:04:04.087
Love arrives exactly when Love is supposed to, and Love leaves exactly when Love must.

0:04:04.087,0:04:05.475
When Love arrives, say,

0:04:05.475,0:04:08.616
(both) "Welcome. Make yourself comfortable."

0:04:08.616,0:04:12.725
If Love leaves, ask her to leave the door open behind her,

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Turn off the music, listen to the quiet.

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Whisper,

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(both) "Thank you

0:04:18.322,0:04:19.885
for stopping by."

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(Applause)

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Thank you. Thank you so much. Thank you. Thank you.