The Encounter at the Shore

She was walking along the seashore, her bare feet sinking into the wet sand. Picking up seashells that struck her eye as she walked, lost in her thoughts about the past year. She had lost one that she loved dearly and the pain was still there. Some days surfacing more than others.  Some days she felt on top of things while other days she wasn’t sure how she made it through, as the days passed by in a blur.

The beach was quiet now. The wind was blowing and it was a little cool to be out, but she liked the peacefulness of having no one else around. Wait, who was that? She saw someone walking towards her. How could that be? Seemed like he had just appeared out of nowhere.

As he got closer she felt a strong sense of peace.  It was a man coming towards her, but she felt no fear, only warmth circling around her heart. The man’s eyes were as if he could see straight through her, but it didn’t make her feel uncomfortable.  He didn’t say a word, they just continued walking, now side by side.

After awhile she broke the silence as tears fell down her cheeks. Her pain and worries about the future spilled out of her mouth.  In his presence she felt drawn to share from her heart.  To share from her heart with a man that she had not ever remembered meeting, but yet at the same time felt like she had known him forever.

He listened to her as the waves crashed against the shore.  He reached up and tenderly wiped her tears away,  which then were followed by more as she laid her weary head against his chest. She felt his arm around her and for the moment it was as if all her sadness was washed away with the waves.

She wiped her eyes and held up her head meeting his eyes and feeling the compassion shine out from them .  They stood facing the ocean listening to the waves roar.  She felt a strength swell up inside of her. Her spirit felt strong once more as her and the stranger turned and walked again along the shore.

She spotted the prettiest seashell yet. A beautiful shade of purple and it was almost heart shaped, definitely a unique shell. She picked it up and turned to show to the man, but where did he go?  She looked all around  but no one did she see.

Where was he?  A strange sensation began to come over her as she looked again from where they had come. Why was there only one set of footprints in the sand?

She then remembered the warm feeling that had wrapped itself around her heart when she met him. She remembered the glimpse she had caught of his hand when he wiped away her tears. Her heart was full, there were no words to describe what her mind knew.  She turned towards the ocean and let the waves speak.

 

 

The Burial

Elonya  was trudging along carrying her suitcase and a shovel.   She would switch them from hand to hand at times because the suitcase was so heavy.   She should be used to the weight though, for she had been carrying this suitcase for a long time.  It was rather worn from all the use it had.  Traveled many places with her.   At times she would discard some of its contents, but the load never got lighter, for she would just pick up more.

Elonya wandered through the woods looking for the right spot.  Up ahead she saw it.  There stood a rather large Oak tree.  It wasn’t surrounded by any other trees, just stood alone.  She was so tired and weary, but she knew this job had to be done.  Grabbing the shovel Elonya started to dig a hole.  A very important hole.  One that should have been dug long ago.

At times she would stop for a rest and to wipe her brow, and then would pick up the shovel once more.  She kept telling herself this would be worth it.  Once she decided that the hole was deep enough she opened her suitcase and took out rocks of all sizes.  Some were just tiny,  but others were so big and heavy.  One by one she threw them into the deep hole.

When she was done she grabbed the shovel again shoveling the dirt back over the hole.  At last the hole was covered.  Standing there Elonya paused for a moment,  lost in her thoughts.  Closed her eyes and breathed in the scent of the woods.  She heard some singing  and looked up to see the most  beautiful Bluebird that she had ever seen!  She was in awe of its glowing wings that were vibrant blue!

Elonya smiled and then bent down to do the last thing that needed done.  She took out a plaque that she had engraved and propped it up against the tree.  She smiled again as she let out a big sigh of relief.  Her heart felt light and her gaze again turned to the Bluebird who was still singing his song.  In a way it was like he was singing his song just for her.  No other birds were around,  the woods were silent, except for the Bluebird’s song.    Walking away she started humming a song of her own.  The weight was finally gone,  she walked faster as she swung her arms, yes this was the way life was meant to be! Her burdens set free!

The Bluebird kept singing and no one was around to read the plaque that was propped against the tree.

The plaque read: “Farewell to the If’s!  To “What If…”  and its partner in crime “If only..”  No more will I think about all the things you try to say.  No more will you make me go crazy in my mind wishing that somehow I could change history.  You kept making me second guess myself and wishing to go back in time, but you never could guarantee me that things would have been better.

Farewell to  the chaos triplets as well.  They are buried with their neighbors,  the “If’s”.   Their names are ,  “Would Have”,  “Should Have”, and “Could Have”!  All of you were also no good!   You only brought guilt on me which most of the time was misplaced guilt.  You didn’t care if it was false guilt, you kept bombarding my mind with your lies.   Farewell to all of you!   I have found new company to keep.  Their names are so much nicer,  ” Joy”, ” Hope, “, “Faith”,  “Forgiveness” and “Love”!  They have proved themselves much more worthy of my company!!  With them I plan to stay!  It is with cheer that I bid all of you adieu!”

Legend has it that the plaque stayed there through the wind and rain and that more holes were dug around the Oak tree.  It appeared that there were many more relatives and friends  of the “If’s” that had worn out their welcome with more than just Elonya.   She hadn’t been the only one that had grown tired of them,  but her plaque inspired others to have the courage to do what she had done.  Others dug a hole and threw them in bidding them all farewell.

There still are times that some distant cousins try to rear their ugly heads, but Elonya makes sure that it doesn’t last long.  She had found her true friends who give her the  truth to hold onto and believe.

It is also said that when one enters the woods and draws close to the Oak tree that they can hear the lone, singing of a Bluebird and that if they look up they will spot him sitting in the tree.  It has been passed down through generations that it  was the most beautiful Bluebird that you ever would see.