I used to think phrases like "I see you in everyone I meet" or "I see you in strangers on the street" were ridiculous. Overly romantic. Unreal. I believed that once you got over someone, that was it — you were either done or still hopelessly stuck. I didn’t believe in the in-between.

But after I met you, I realized how wrong I was.

This isn’t meant to be some poetic declaration. There’s no deeper meaning hidden between the lines. It’s just... honest. And maybe that’s why I felt the need to write it down.

This feeling is foreign to me. It doesn’t hurt, and it doesn’t interfere with my life. But I have to admit — sometimes, when I meet someone new, you come to mind. Not because they are you, or even like you in any significant way. Sometimes it’s as small as the curve of their lips, the way they smile. Sometimes — and this is strange to even say — it’s something as mundane as the shape of their fingernails.

Not everyone reminds me of you. But enough do that I’ve noticed a pattern. And if this were some kind of strange, silent competition — you'd be winning.