You’re the first place I visited, the first time I travelled out of my home country. When I applied for my visa, I saw your grandeur, I saw your authenticity and I longed to visit you. When I boarded my flight, I knew I was in for the trip of a lifetime. But do you know the most special thing about you? You let me be me, you let me live as me. It was just for a short while but nonetheless, you gave me the life I always wanted, for eight incredibly spectacular days.

I am a girl who hails from a country where loving another girl is an offence. For years I have hidden this side of me from the world and I will continue to for the rest of my life. I had no plans to be any different when I visited you.

But you accepted me the way I was, completely and wholeheartedly.

I kissed my girl at Heathrow airport and no one stared at us in shock. I hugged her in Oxford Street and no one looked at us as though we were being inappropriate. My girl gently pushed me against the coarse stone pillar on Tower Bridge and kissed me passionately as the soft lights from tall buildings on the shoreline shone on, and no one blinked an eye. I stared at my girl lovingly while taking the tube. No one whispered behind our backs. I walked hand in hand with my love on Westminster Bridge. A couple smiled at us.

We visited Stonehenge and I sat with my girl on the grass amid the cold breeze and savoured the beautiful moment with her. No one threw condescending looks in our direction. My girl held me close to protect me from the cold rain. I let the warmth of the moment sink deep into my heart without any fear. I kissed my girl in public under the stars for the first time. I could hear my own heart beating out of love, not panic.

You allowed me to savour those little special moments and showed me how incredibly beautiful life can be

My girl asked a bystander to take a photo of us near Tower Hill. She didn’t look at us thinking why two girls wanted a cozy picture together. I turned back, my eyes filled with love and smiled at my girl while travelling on a London bus. Everyone around us minded their own business.

A guy subtly tried to hit on me near the London Eye. My girl pulled me close, looked him in the eye and said, “She’s my girlfriend.” I looked down blushing and smiled.

We went on a night cruise on the Thames. The entertainer asked me if we were celebrating any special occasion. I smiled and said that it was my first dinner date with my girlfriend. She announced it to the entire room and everyone clapped.

I had a quiet lunch with my girl the day before I was to start back home. She held my hand across the table. The waitress smiled at us and took our picture.

I kissed my girl goodbye at Heathrow. We smiled at each other through tears knowing the inevitable.

You allowed me to feel a part of my soul in a way I had never done before. You allowed me to savour those little special moments and showed me how incredibly beautiful life can be. You allowed me to breathe to the fullest.

I am home now. I love my world. I love my family and I will do anything to keep them happy. I will hide a part of me for the rest of my life just so that the people around me will smile and not see me differently. My girl will do the same. And we won’t mind doing it for the rest of our lives. Because, we have already lived our lives.

We lived just for ourselves. We lived the life we always wanted. We lived our beautiful life together, when we came to you. Thank you, dear London. You are more special to us than you will ever realise.

Anonymous