We sat in the cozy Italian bar, wrapped up in rich colors and surrounded by warmth. We sat, watching the snowflakes fall, sipping lattes and savoring chocolate cake. As I studied your face, something was different. We told ridiculous stories about lives that do not make sense, jobs that don't pay, and politics that don't mesh. And we laughed-- wholeheartedly. And as I looked at you I realized that I was not just being heard, I was being listened to for the first time in an eternity. And somehow, that look, that moment made all the difference.