Foreword:
Asthesunroseoverthehills,castingawarmglowoverthegreenpastures,Mariastoodontheporchofherfamily'sfarmhouse,takinginthebeautythatsurroundedher.Thelushgreenfieldsstretchedoutbeforeher,dottedwithwildflowersofeverycolor.Thescentoffreshhayandbloomingflowersfilledtheair,andthegentlebreezerustledthroughtheleavesofthetalltreesthatstoodattheedgesoftheproperty.Itwasaperfectdayinthecountryside,andMariacouldn'thelpbutfeelgratefulforthesimplelifesheled.
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Mariawasayoungwomanwhohadgrownuponafarmintheheartofthecountryside.Shehadspentherentirelifesurroundedbynature,andhadcometoappreciateitsbeautyandserenity.Herparentshadtaughthertovaluehardworkandrespectfortheland,andshehadspentcountlesshourstendingtothefieldsandanimalsthatprovidedforherfamily.
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Despiteherlovefortheland,Mariahadalwayslongedforsomethingmore.Sheyearnedforadventureandexcitement,foralifebeyondtheconfinesofhersmalltown.Shedreamedoftravelingtheworldandseeingallthewondersithadtooffer.Butasshestoodthereontheporchthatmorning,watchingthesunriseoverthehills,sherealizedthattherewassomethingspecialaboutthisplacethatshecouldneverfindanywhereelse.
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AsMariaturnedtogobackinside,sheheardarustlinginthebushesnearby.Shelookedovertoseeayoungmanemergingfromthetrees,hiseyesfixedonhers.Hewastallandmuscular,withtousledbrownhairandpiercinggreeneyes.MariafeltasuddenjoltofexcitementassherecognizedhimasDavid,ayoungmanfromaneighboringfarmwhoshehadknownsincechildhood.
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Davidapproachedherwithashysmileonhisface,hishandsshoveddeepintothepocketsofhisjeans.Mariafeltherheartflutterashedrewnear,andshecouldn'thelpbutnoticehowhandsomehelookedinthemorninglight.Hewaswearingafadedt-shirtandworkboots,andhisroughhandswerecallousedfromyearsofhardlabor.
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"Hey,Maria,"hesaid,hisvoicelowandhusky."IwasjustoutforawalkandIsawyoustandinghere.It'sabeautifulday,isn'tit?"
Marianodded,feelingablushrisingtohercheeks."Itcertainlyis,"shesaid.
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Forafewmoments,theystoodthereinsilence,gazingoutoverthefields.Mariafeltanelectricchargebetweenthem,asenseofconnectionthatshecouldn'texplain.ShehadalwaysthoughtofDavidasafriend,butinthatmoment,shesawhiminanewlight.
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Astheytalked,Mariacouldn'thelpbutnoticehowmuchDavidhadgrownupsinceshehadlastseenhim.Hehadalwaysbeenabitofatroublemaker,gettingintofightsandcausingmischiefaroundtown.Butnowheseemedmoremature,morefocused.Hetoldherabouthisplanstoexpandhisfarmandstartafamilyofhisownsomeday.
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Marialistenedintently,feelingasenseofadmirationforhimthatshehadneverfeltbefore.Shehadalwaysbeendrawntostrong,confidentmen,andDavidhadallofthequalitiesthatshefoundattractive.Hisruggedgoodlooksandeasycharmmadeherheartskipabeateverytimehelookedather.
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Astheycontinuedtotalk,MariarealizedthatshewasfallinginlovewithDavid.Itwasafeelingthatshehadneverexperiencedbefore,arushofemotionsthatleftherdizzyandbreathless.Sheknewthatsheshouldn'tbefeelingthisway–afterall,theywerejustfriends–butshecouldn'thelpthewayshefelt.
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Daysturnedintoweeks,andweeksturnedintomonths.DavidandMariaspentmoreandmoretimetogether,exploringthecountrysideandgettingtoknoweachotheronadeeperlevel.Theyhikedthroughthehills,swamintheriver,andpicnickedintheshadeofthetrees.Theytalkedabouttheirdreamsandfears,theirhopesandaspirations.
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Astheygrewcloser,MariabegantoseeDavidinanewlight.Shesawhimnotjustasafriend,butasapotentialpartner,someoneshecouldbuildalifewith.Sheimaginedwakingupeverymorningtothesoundofhisvoice,workingalongsidehiminthefields,raisingchildrentogether.
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Onewarmsummerevening,astheysatonahilloverlookingthetown,DavidtookMaria'shandinhisandlookedintohereyes.
"Maria,"hesaid,hisvoicehuskywithemotion."Iknowwe'vebeenfriendsforalongtime.ButIcan'thelpthewayIfeelaboutyou.Iloveyou,Maria.Willyoubemygirlfriend?"
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Maria'sheartleaptinherchestassheheardhiswords.Shehadbeenwaitingforthismomentforwhatfeltlikeaneternity.Shelookedintohiseyes,seeingtheloveandlongingthere,andsheknewthatthiswaswhatshehadbeensearchingfor.
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"Yes,"shesaidsoftly."Yes,Iwillbeyourgirlfriend."
David'sfacelitupwithasmileashepulledherclose,kissingherdeeply.Mariafeltarushofpassionsweepoverherasshefelthislipsonhers.Sheknewthatshehadfoundtheloveshehadbeenseeking,andshefeltasenseofjoyandfulfillmentthatshehadneverfeltbefore.
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Astheweeksturnedintomonths,DavidandMaria'slovecontinuedtogrow.Theyspentmoreandmoretimetogether,exploringthecountrysideandbuildingalifetogether.Theyplantedcropstogether,tendedtotheanimals,andworkedsidebysideeveryday.
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Butevenastheybuilttheirlifetogether,Marianeverforgotthebeautyofthelandthatsurroundedthem.Shetookjoyinthesmallthings–thechangingcolorsoftheleavesinautumn,thefirstsnowfallofwinter,thefreshbloomsofspring.Sheknewthattheirlovewasintertwinedwiththenaturethatsurroundedthem,andshefeltgratefulforiteveryday.
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Astheyearspassed,DavidandMariagrewoldtogether.Theyhadchildrenoftheirown,whogrewuprunningthroughthefieldsandexploringthewoods.Theytaughtthemtolovethelandandtorespectitsbeauty,justasMaria'sparentshadtaughther.
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Andastheysatontheirporchinthetwilightoftheirlives,watchingthesunsetoverthehills,Mariaknewthatshehadfoundeverythingshehadeverwanted.Shehadfoundlove,adventure,andasenseofpurposeinthebeautyofthecountryside.
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ForMaria,thelandwasmorethanjustaplacetolive–itwasapartofwhoshewas.Ithadshapedherlife,heridentity,andherdreams.Andasshelookedoutoverthefieldsthatshehadtendedtoforsomanyyears,sheknewthatshewouldneverbeabletoleavethisplacebehind.
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BecauseforMaria,thebeautyofthecountrysidewasmorethanjustaprettyview–itwasareminderofallthatwasgoodandtrueintheworld.Itwasareminderoflove,ofnature,andoftheendlesspossibilitiesthatlayahead.
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Asthesunfinallyslippedbelowthehorizon,castinglongshadowsacrossthefields,MariaandDavidsathandinhand,watchingthestarsappearintheskyabove.
"Iloveyou,"Davidsaidsoftly,hisvoicefilledwithtenderness.
"Iloveyoutoo,"Mariareplied."AndIlovethisland.Ithasgivenuseverythingwecouldeverwant."
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Andastheysattheretogether,watchingtheworldgoby,Mariaknewthatshehadfoundhertruehome.Inthebeautyofthecountryside,shehadfoundlove,happiness,andasenseofbelongingthatshewouldcarrywithheralways.
