The Love That Remains

"You know.. I once dreamed of flying... yet feared falling. I would scoure the earth for anything that could come close to it. I'd stand above cliff after towering cliff, the dependable spakling blue sea always below me... and free fall. And as I flew for those precious few seconds, I'd face my greatest fear, falling. It became a twisted love of the fall yet fear of landing. It was a beautiful line, tempting death yet living like never before. A line I tip toed time and time again. Would this be the last time? It almost didn't matter when it felt like I'd never lived up until the moemnt I flew. Now I fear flying. I stand still, refusing to let my feet leave the ground for even a second. But as I stand still, life passes me by. I am paralized by my fear. Constantly waiting for life to just happen. For something, anything, to make me move."

"So what'd you do?"He asks, staring at my profile. I know he wants me to look at him, so he can see my eyes and tell how I'm feeling. But I simply can't. I've never told someone so much before. Facts, yes. The facts are easy. I can tell anyone my entire life story without even flinching. But asks me how it all made me feel and what it did to me? I shut down. Sharing my emotions is too much. Not once in my life have I allowed anyone so close. Not once.

"I made myself move." I say, finally looking him in the eye, because in this moment, in these four words, the only thing I feel, just as I felt back then, is strength.