When was the last time you were excited about seeing someone? Personally, I think there are two categories of this kind of excitement. The first is reserved for certain friends and family members you know and love well, the kind you are entirely comfortable with, which makes conversation easy and natural and something of a relief, because you can finally express yourself with someone you trust. But the second category of excitement — well, that’s the kind this card is getting at, for you see our bashful model is peeking out through her fingers. She’s half-excited out of her mind, and half-terrified at the uncertainty of what could (or won’t) happen when she comes face-to-face with the object of her affection. Yes, I’m referring to a crush, of course, which is an innocent sort of obsession with another person in which you wait breathlessly through the interminable intervals during which they are nowhere in sight — only to feel equal parts joy and butterflies when they do enter your field of vision, again. I myself, at this writing, have just such a crush, on a totally unsuspecting fellow gym-goer. When I spotted him lifting weights yesterday, I felt a delicious surge of nervous energy coursing through my veins, which I was able to channel into one heck of a workout on the exercise bike. And after several weeks of being too shy to even look too long in his direction, I felt bold enough to do the unthinkable: I smiled at him. Oh, thank goodness for simple joys like this one! I am mighty glad to report that in spite of all my dire predictions, he smiled back. ❤️‍🔥 —E.S.