I wrote someone off once. I was young; he was my heart’s first pain. I wrote him out of my life’s story. He grew up, joined the military, and about once a year for the next several, attempted to reach me.
In August of 2005, I met the man I now know I’ll marry. He was older, well-spoken, intelligent, and seemed to have zero unreasonable negativity. My life became complete when he came into it. And with the inexplicable amount of happiness flourishing in my life now, I had no room, nor desire, to harbor hatred.
Jon-Michael opened a window for me – he let the light in. When I realized I was in love with him, I realized all that time I thought I’d been heartbroken, I was really just bitter because Tommy had moved on.
In October of 2005 he tried to reach me again, this time I let him tell me his story. He had messed up. He ruined things with me all those years ago, and for all the years in between struggled to find a way to fix it. The more time went on, the worse time he had of contacting me, and I certainly didn’t make things easier. He had a reason; I just never gave him the opportunity to explain to me.
Seventy-two hours ago (as I write this, not as you read it), I was sitting across a table at Chili’s from him – listening to his laugh for the first time in six years. He is taller, stronger, and still blonde-haired with blue eyes. Next to him was Susan, across from her and on my right was his beautiful wife, Abby. And on her right, was his precious daughter, Eliza Lyn.
I can’t honestly say sitting at Chili’s for three hours was satisfying enough to patch the last six years of disconnect between us. But I can say, just as he is a different man, I am a different woman than the girl he knew before he enlisted.
If I could have him here in town just a bit longer, there’s only one person I’d care about him seeing – and that’s the person who taught me to live and let go, to not waste time with anger when I should be cherishing time with friends. If I could have Tommy in town for one more moment, the only thing I’d want to do with that moment is watch him shake hands with my future husband and the man who taught me that sometimes people do something they regret, but is able to be overlooked for the greater gift of love or friendship.
Everyone messes up, but not everyone rights their wrongs. He spent six years trying to right his while he could have much more easily written me off.
I never imagined I’d be the woman who let a rift destroy a friendship as close as his and mine once was. And I’ll never let it happen again. My only hope is that our friendship is strong enough to overcome it and that my endless love for Jon-Michael continues to teach me.
ily
In August of 2005, I met the man I now know I’ll marry. He was older, well-spoken, intelligent, and seemed to have zero unreasonable negativity. My life became complete when he came into it. And with the inexplicable amount of happiness flourishing in my life now, I had no room, nor desire, to harbor hatred.
Jon-Michael opened a window for me – he let the light in. When I realized I was in love with him, I realized all that time I thought I’d been heartbroken, I was really just bitter because Tommy had moved on.
In October of 2005 he tried to reach me again, this time I let him tell me his story. He had messed up. He ruined things with me all those years ago, and for all the years in between struggled to find a way to fix it. The more time went on, the worse time he had of contacting me, and I certainly didn’t make things easier. He had a reason; I just never gave him the opportunity to explain to me.
Seventy-two hours ago (as I write this, not as you read it), I was sitting across a table at Chili’s from him – listening to his laugh for the first time in six years. He is taller, stronger, and still blonde-haired with blue eyes. Next to him was Susan, across from her and on my right was his beautiful wife, Abby. And on her right, was his precious daughter, Eliza Lyn.
I can’t honestly say sitting at Chili’s for three hours was satisfying enough to patch the last six years of disconnect between us. But I can say, just as he is a different man, I am a different woman than the girl he knew before he enlisted.
If I could have him here in town just a bit longer, there’s only one person I’d care about him seeing – and that’s the person who taught me to live and let go, to not waste time with anger when I should be cherishing time with friends. If I could have Tommy in town for one more moment, the only thing I’d want to do with that moment is watch him shake hands with my future husband and the man who taught me that sometimes people do something they regret, but is able to be overlooked for the greater gift of love or friendship.
Everyone messes up, but not everyone rights their wrongs. He spent six years trying to right his while he could have much more easily written me off.
I never imagined I’d be the woman who let a rift destroy a friendship as close as his and mine once was. And I’ll never let it happen again. My only hope is that our friendship is strong enough to overcome it and that my endless love for Jon-Michael continues to teach me.
ily
Comments