Alone

Today, I am taken back to the time I set off on a particular journey The day's news and weather reports keeping me focused on the road ahead, I prayed incessantly, that I would arrive at my destination intact The roads were crystal clear on this cold, January night Bumper-to-bumper traffic clogged every lane I clenched the steering wheel in my tightest death grip But that wasn't what phased me What phased me was My off-the-charts anticipation The violent pounding of my heart And the nervous excitement making my hands sweat City after city, I had to consciously redirect my attention to the road And when I arrived, you met me with a warm embrace The reality of my being there took a few minutes to sink in Finally, after months of waiting And many years of wondering We shared a couple of precious hours... Alone My reluctance to leave was evident A mere glance at the clock on the nightstand reminded me, and before long, I was blissfully back on that highway, Floating all the way home on Cloud 9 Today, like many days, I recalled the events of that unforgetable winter's night The unknown territory I'd travelled The certainty I'd felt And the truth that I would forever be a changed woman A woman that finally felt beautiful in someone else's eyes January 17, 2021