WEBVTT

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(music and applause)

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(both) I knew exactly what love looked like.....in 7th grade.

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Even though I hadn't met Love yet, if Love had wandered into my home room,

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I would have recognized him at first glance. Love wore a hemp necklace.

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I would have recognized her at first glance. Love wore a tight french braid.

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Love played acoustic guitar and knew all my favorite "Beatles" songs.

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Love wasn't afraid to ride the bus with me.

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(both) And I knew....

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I just must be searching the wrong class room.

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Just must be checking the wrong hallway. She was there. I was sure of it.

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If only I could find him...

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(both) But when Love finally showed up,

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she had a bowl cut,

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he wore the same clothes every day for a week.

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(Laugh)

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Love hated the bus.

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Love didn't know anything about "The Beatles."

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(both) Instead,

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Every time I tried to kiss love,

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(both) our teeth got in the way!

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Love became the reason I lied to my parents:

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I'm going to.....Ben's house.

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(Laugh)

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

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

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-Hello?

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(Hard frightened breathing)

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-Hello?

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(Hard frightened breathing)

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-I guess they hung up.

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(Laugh)

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And Love grew

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stretched, like a trampoline.

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Love changed.

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Love disappeared, slowly, like baby teeth, losing parts of me I though I needed.

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Love vanished like an amateur magician--everyone could see the trap door but me.

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Like a flat tire....There were other places I had planned on going,

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(both) but my plans didn't matter.

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Love stayed away for years.And when Love finally reappeared, I barely recognized him.

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Love smelled different now, had darker eyes,

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a broader back. Love came with freckles I didn't recognize,

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new birthmarks, a softer voice.

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Now there were new sleeping patterns,

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new favorite books.

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Love had songs that reminded him of someone else,

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songs Love didn't like to listen to.

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so did I.

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But we found a bench that fit us perfectly,

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we found jokes that make us laugh,

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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.

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Love is a terrible driver, but a great navigator.

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Love knows where she's going, it just might taker her two hours longer than she planned.

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Love is messier now,

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not as simple.

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Love uses the word "boobs" in front of my parents.

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(Laugh)

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Love chews too loud,

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Love leaves the cap off the toothpaste.

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Love uses smiley faces in her text messages,

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and turns out,

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Love shits.

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(laugh)

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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,"

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when you first wake up.

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"Your are beautiful."

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when you've just been crying.

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"You are beautiful."

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when you don't want to hear it.

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"You are beautiful."

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when you don't believe it.

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"You ARE beautiful.


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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.

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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.

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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...

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Maybe Love can't...

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(both) Maybe Love shouldn't.

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Love arrives exactly when Love is supposed to, and Love leaves exactly when Love must.

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When Love arrives, say,

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(both) "Welcome. Make yourself comfortable."

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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

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for stopping by."

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(Applause)

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