Nearly eight years ago, I met the most remarkable person I’ve ever known. Today marks the occasion of her thirty-third birthday, and I wanted to celebrate by telling her a few of the things I love most about her.

Happy birthday, Jessica. I love you so much.

I love the way your golden hair changes color in the sun, and the way your green eyes change color when it rains. I love how quick you are to smile that stunning smile of yours. I love the warm, musical sound of your laughter, and how effortlessly you coax laughter out of others. I love the way you pick people up when they’re down, the way you take care of your loved ones, the way you fight for the people and ideas you care about.

I love how much of yourself you put out into the world: how much love, and generosity, and kindness.

I love how you’re able to make a complete stranger feel instantly like a friend. How you’re able to make people feel better just by listening to them. How you try to brighten the day of every single person you interact with, whether they’re the cashier at the grocery store or the person sitting across from you on the bus.

I love your unflagging belief that you can make a positive difference in this world, that all of us can. That you spend every hour of every day trying to take care of other people, and never remember to do anything for yourself. And I’m in awe of how many lives you’ve touched already. I know that there are people in this world whose lives are better because you were there for them.

Because you were their Special Olympics coach, and you helped them believe in themselves when it felt like the entire world was against them.

Because you were their team leader at City Year, and you helped expand their world, or you helped teach them that they could make a difference in someone else’s life, or you talked to their parole officer and kept them out of trouble.

Because they worked at the Red Cross and you pulled an all-nighter to save their job.

Because they called a crisis hotline and you were there on the other end.

Because you helped take care of them when no one else would. Because you listened to them when they felt completely alone and helpless.

Because you volunteered your time to help them learn English, to help them pass their driving test, or to help them sort out their immigration status.

Because you encouraged them to follow their dreams, or you helped them find their lost dog, or you dropped everything to drive or fly hundreds of miles to sit by their hospital bed.

Because you didn’t judge them, because you didn’t give up on them, because you cared for them so much even those times when it was someone you barely knew.

Because you never ever thought about yourself, and spent all of your time trying to help them.

Thirty-three years ago today, an angel came into our world.

Happy birthday, my love.