An Awakening

Sometimes, when we follow our mundane daily schedules, we forget to look up now and then, and enjoy the little things that squeeze their way into your mindless tasks. I was ready to just accept the fact, that as long as I continued with my job title, there could be the risk of never running into anyone that proved me wrong on most of my hardened opinions on relationships.

Then, along comes someone who seems genuinely interested in what you have to say, and listens with quiet content. Someone who compliments you on your accomplishments, that you have deemed small and unimportant, because you decided not to share them with others. Because they weren’t those kind of people that would bask in the light of your delight. Someone who has traveled to the very places you have always dreamed of, with pictures and all! Someone who has overcome challenges, and willingly shares the struggles and outcome. A man that readily, without effort, goes out of the way to include his wife in all of these shared moments. He is her friend. Her confidant. Her partner. And he makes sure that everyone around him knows how important she is in his life. How refreshing and unexpected to find someone like this in my domain.

Someone who doesn’t consider the person who would die for them, the ball and chain. Someone who speaks of women as individuals with interests of their own. As equals, in the realm of humanity. As I sat there mesmerized by it all, I began to feel my heart thaw. The warmth in my chest traveled up my neck and found my jaded mind, which also softened from the unexpected surge of good energy. It filled me with hope. It rekindled my desire in finding someone just like this to be part of my life. Because they are really out there. They are in existence. All men are not just looking for a night of sex. All men are not uninterested in what you have to say. All men are not grown misbehaving children. All men do not consider their home a prison, and find any way possible to escape.

It was so endearing to listen to someone who liked to hang out with his wife. Who was there during her time of need, and never left her side during her struggle. Who bragged about her strength and perseverance. Who talked about his job. His interests. Who laughed with you without judgement. Who looked at you, at times, as if to say “what are you doing here”? Who looked at me as if I had more opportunities than I ever thought I had, but have given up on them. In the short hour of conversation, I found myself regretting the time and effort I had spent on unfulfilling and uneventful days and nights sitting there. So much time wasted in the wrong environment. The wrong people that I tried to fit in with, but were never my people. These were not my kindred spirits. All the years without encouraging conversation. All the years without listening ears. It was like flipping the light switch to the “on” position. I was finally on! After all these years in the dark, my spark and faith in humanity was rekindled.

Thank you universe, or God…whatever you believe in…for reminding me that there are people out there that I have only dreamed about but yet to run into. Now, it is up to me, to venture out of my comfortable surroundings and seek out my people. Because they are out there waiting to meet me.