Destined Encounter: From You and Me to Us

For anyone who happens to read this (if I ever have any readers, LOL), you might be wondering how someone could be so disorganized. I wouldn’t blame you. My thoughts jump from one place to another, and my blogs are all over the place, up and down, past and present, tangled like a mess I can’t quite straighten out.

These past months, including right now, have been incredibly difficult. My mind keeps pulling up memories, some sharp, some hazy, but all demanding to be written down. Maybe it’s because I have no one to share them with, or maybe I just don’t know who to turn to or how to even begin. It’s not that I don’t want to talk but I just can’t seem to figure out where to start. So, I write.

As I sat in my chair at work today, I reached for my usual cup of tea. It was a simple, familiar routine, yet something made me pause. As I poured the hot water, I suddenly noticed the cup on my table, an ordinary object I had used countless times without much thought. But today, for some reason, it struck me.

This wasn’t just any cup, it was the one Thinley had gifted me long ago. I had been using it for years, yet I had never really paused to appreciate it. A warm smile crept onto my face as memories surfaced. Thankfully, I was alone in my cabin, otherwise, someone might have seen me sitting there, smiling to myself like a fool. They would have probably thought I had lost my mind. But in that moment, I was lost in my memories, retracing the journey of how it all began.

I guess that with everything we've been going through these past few days, it's only natural to feel overwhelmed. The weight of it all, the emotions, the uncertainty, and the unspoken thoughts has been lingering in the air. Maybe we’re still trying to make sense of it, or perhaps we’re just too drained to put it into words. But despite everything, I believe that moments like these shape us, pushing us to grow, to understand, and to find clarity in the chaos.

Thinley and I first connected way back in 2015, though only briefly. I had just graduated from college and was stepping into community work, while he was still a student at Damphu School. Life took us in different directions, and we lost touch for several years.

When we reconnected, I had been going through a breakup for about six months, and as I later found out, he was too, on top of dealing with some family issues. The world was still reeling from COVID-19, and as lockdowns were finally lifting, one fine day, Thinley showed up at our office. I’m not exactly sure why, maybe my outreach team had called him in for something, but from that day onward, he became a frequent visitor. Some days, he’d drop by with something to eat, and on others, he’d leave a drink for me. Looking back now, I realize he was probably just finding excuses to check in on me, using food and drinks as a convenient reason.

One of those visits was when he gave me the very cup I was reminiscing about today. But that wasn’t the only thing. Some days, he would call me to meet him under different pretexts. One time, he invited me to a bar just so he could introduce me to his best friend. Another time, he called me to a restaurant, insisting I eat momo while he simply watched. Thinking about it now, I can see how much effort he put into making those little moments happen. And that’s why I found myself smiling today. It’s funny how I never fully realized it back then, but now, looking back, it’s so obvious. Cute, right? Not me, but the effort he made.

I had started developing feelings for Thinley, but it would be several months before we officially became boyfriends. One pivotal moment was when we shared a room during a training in Paro. That night, something felt different, like an unspoken connection between us was growing stronger.

A few days after we returned to Thimphu, we found ourselves chatting late into the evening, hesitantly yet eagerly asking each other how we truly felt. That night, on October 20, 2021, we both admitted that we had similar feelings for each other. And just like that, we became boyfriends. That was the night we became us, the beginning of a journey we’ve shared ever since.

A few months later, we took a big step and moved into our first place together. Between our decision to live together and actually settling in, Thinley underwent surgery, followed by weeks of painful recovery. It was a difficult time, but I was there by his side, and I know that it meant so much for him. When we finally moved in, I could see how happy he was, just as happy as I felt.

Then, in August 2022, we moved again to the place we now call home. And as people say, the rest is history with a long lane of memories, both good and bad. Day by day, little by little, we built our lives together as partners.

And as I sit here today, looking back on everything, I can’t help but hope that this journey lasts as long as it possibly can. That one day, we’ll grow old together, sit across from each other, and laugh about these moments over a cup of tea, perhaps even from the same cup he once gifted me.