Sometimes you lock eyes with someone, and you just know, deep in your heart, that they were meant to be a part of your story.

We met at Fair Trade Coffee in 2013, right in the heart of Madison near the capitol square. After a few jokes (and “No Scrubs” references) we were quickly lost in conversation as we meandered through downtown. It is crazy to look back on it now after nearly eight years and see how far we’ve grown together.

Anyone who knows us will tell you that we are quite different. Luckily, it always seems that we end up different in ways that complement each other. There’s a quote from Modern Family that we have always identified with:

“You see, the dreamers need the realists to keep them from soaring too close to the sun. And the realists? Well, without the dreamers they might not ever get off the ground.”

Michael is definitely the lovable dreamer, with his head up in the clouds, he is rarely on time and can be kindly referred to as mildly forgetful. Daniel would be the realist—cautious, opinionated, and “strong willed” (for lack of a better term). Michael is often the chaos to Daniel’s order, but also the one lifting him up and reminding him not to take life so seriously. Daniel is the grumpy old man to Michael’s social butterfly, but also the one pushing him to stay focused to achieve his goals (and remembering the car keys). This balance has provided us with opportunities to see the world from a different perspective, and push past our comfort zones.

Over the years we have been able to pursue our common love for fitness, taking long runs through Madison’s beautiful Arboretum and enjoying the city’s extensive and scenic bike trails. We especially love running into the multitude of animals on our outings, particularly the sassy turkeys! Daniel has developed a green thumb, Michael a passion for baking. We are looking forward to spending the winter weightlifting with our Madison Minotaurs teammates at Ford’s Gym and the eventual return of summer volleyball at FIVE Nightclub!

Though our path navigating our two personalities has not always been perfect, our shared goofy sense of humor has been able to help smooth over any rough patches and buoy us through all challenges life throws our way—knowing that when we come home at the end of a long day we have a loving smile (and a few good jokes) to look forward to.

2021 Love List

1. Staying is an Act of Defiance: Malik & Whryne Rasheed
2. The Dreamer & the Realist: Daniel Beechler & Michael Lynn
3. Our Life is Now: Stella & Vica Steel
4. Quarantine Engagement: Dotti Jacob & Kimberly Rose
5. The Love They Share: TeKema Balentine & Megan Bentley
6. A Lifetime Together: Erv Uecker & Ross Walker
7. Dreams Come True: Patrick & Ryan Platta