Ian and I met like so many millennials these days—online. His opening line was something along the lines of, “Hey, wanna go spearfishing with me?” Without thinking too much, I shot back with a casual “Hell yeah!” But then, my prefrontal cortex kicked in.

I realized I was about to agree to dive into the open ocean with a complete stranger—and, well, there are some real crazies on the internet. So, I decided it might be wise to meet in person before committing to any underwater adventures. We agreed to meet that evening at Latitude, a local bar across the street from my place, a PB favorite. From the moment we sat down, the conversation flowed effortlessly. We bonded over our mutual love for the ocean, the mountains, and everything in between. I remember him telling me about how his mom worked in a newborn nursery and loved hearing how close he was with his family.  I also couldn’t help but notice his quirky physics shirt “No Flux Given” and loved everywhere his mind wandered off too. But honestly, I knew he was something special the instant I saw him waiting outside the bar. I can still picture it—his smile, the pure enthusiasm for life.