The Second Time

First love is like being struck by lightning—you don't see it coming, you don't know how to survive it, and when it's over, you're convinced you'll never feel anything that intense again.

You don't. But what you feel instead might be better.

Love the second time is slower. It's Sunday mornings making coffee while someone reads on the couch. It's knowing someone's coffee order without asking. It's the quiet certainty of having a place to return to. Lightning is spectacular. But having a home is what keeps you alive.