Ben

One of my favorite, coming of age shows was Queer as Folk.  I got really into it the summer before college and it's ridiculous and over the top, but I just loved it. It made a lot of sense to me.

In the show the lovable boy-next door Michael is in love with his cool, tough as nails best friend Brian, who is so fucked up and jaded that he seems basically incapable of love.  In the first season, Michael dates this prick Dr. David who keeps being really jealous of Michael and Brian's friendship.  He tries to keep them apart and breaks up with Michael a couple times because he can't handle Michael's feelings for Brian.  Jealousy is the stupidest emotion.  They break up because Dr. David is a dick and I hate him.

In the second season we meet the zen, HIV-positive, buddhist Ben.  Ben is the complete opposite of David.  And when the bomb finally drops that Michael is in love with Brian (as if Ben couldn't tell), he says this:

Ben: ...it's okay that you love him.
Michael: It is?
Ben: Uh huh. Michael, we've know each other for how long? A few months? You had a life before I came along. So did I. Including people we've loved, that we're still in love with. That doesn't mean we can't love each other.

That's always stuck with me.  "You had a life before I came along.  So did I.  Including people we've loved, that we're still in love with.  That doesn't mean we can't love each other."

That doesn't mean we can't love each other.

Hearts have a lot of room.  Love is infinite.

*SPOILER ALERT:  Ben and Michael lead a long and happy life together and become easily the most solid couple on the show*