The Ocean Will Cure Me

It was my first time on a plane, flying solo with no one to tell me where to put my bag or how to find my damn seat.

“B3 by chance Miss” I turn to a kind eyed old man to my left.

“You kind sir, just saved me from crying in front of all of these strangers, thank you.” I say with frustration fading from my face and a smile forming.

I sit down and awkwardly look around trying to determine where to keep my bag for this four hour flight. I never understood why they made everything so jam packed in these stupid aircrafts.

“You can put your bag on this seat darling, I always buy both for the extra space” The man next to me says with a wink.

He is a taller man with silky grey hair, glasses like every other man in their seventies wore, but what was most noticeable about him was his eyes. He had very comforting eyes, like you could confide in him and he somehow would know exactly what to say.

“I don’t know if it is obvious but this is my first flight and definitely didn’t expect everything to be this confusing. I am definitely like a fish out of water here, Thank you for being so kind” I say with a grin as I place my bag in the chair between us.

“For everything we have done, there was always a first and many firsts turn into a good story” he chuckles. “My name is Earl and if you have any more questions during your flight don’t hesitate to ask”

This man had happiness radiating off of him, you could almost smell it. What you could smell however was a hint of cinnamon and aftershave. He had dimples on each cheek that were regularly seen due to his constant smiling. I always wondered what it was like to wear a smile like that.

“What is love Earl?” I say with a laugh that gives a perfect depiction of my new outlook on the subject. I decided to get on this mysterious flying contraption in the first place because I realized love isn’t in the cards for me. The man I loved with every ounce of my being just shattered my heart into as many pieces as he could and that was when I decided I needed a fresh start. I gave him nine years to do whatever he could do to the damn thing so I can’t be mad that it might be broken beyond repair.

Even though I truly have been asking myself that question, I’m not sure why those were the words my brain decided needed to be said.

“Sorry, I’m not sure where that came from”

This man probably thinks I am a weirdo. I just met him, and he had to direct me in simple tasks like finding my seat and now I’m asking him about love. This is going to be an awkward flight.

“Do you remember as a kid how excited you were on Christmas morning?” he replies, staring at something in his hand.

“It was the best, I always loved to run and see if he ate all the cookies and gave the reindeer all the carrots” I say curious to where this is going.

“Love is getting that feeling you get on Christmas morning every time you look at them. Waking up next to them, eating with them, laughing with them, going through your normal day with them feels like the gift you have been asking for all year, and you finally get it. It’s exhilarating.”

He says this while staring at the object in his hand. I can now see that it is a very worn out charm bracelet. It’s obvious he isn’t staring at the charm bracelet but a cherished memory that the bracelet holds. I take a moment, trying to grasp what this sweet old man just said to me.

“ Earl, that is a beautiful way to look at love. I hope I find my Christmas morning someday.” I say as I sit back in my seat and stare out the window to my right. We took off about ten minutes ago and my view is a beautiful shade of blue. We’re over an ocean, not sure which one, unfortunately geography was never my thing. However, whichever one it is, it’s beautiful.

“ And you will young lady, we all have a Christmas morning out there. I was lucky enough to spend forty wonderful years with mine.” He says with the most comforting smile that almost makes me believe that I will have that one day.

“Where ya headed anyway” Earl says with intrigue.

“I needed a fresh start and I thought there was nowhere better for a fresh start than a sandy beach and an ocean breeze. I was offered a job down in North Carolina at a publishing company. I was worried about moving that far away but there is no longer anything tying me to my small town so I took it and now I’m here.”

“Well I hope that sandy beach and ocean breeze gives you everything you hope it does.”

I nod and continue admiring what I can still see of the water under me. There’s something about the calmness that radiates off of the ocean even when waves are crashing that has drawn me to my destination.

I start to day dream about sitting under my umbrella with a book. Waves splashing in the background as I flip the page, the sun radiating off of my skin, families laughing and playing in the sand. The ocean will cure me of this heartbreak, I just know it.

“Earl, I think I am going to take a nap so I have some energy when we land. Thank you again for everything.”

“No problem kiddo, get some rest. You have a new chapter to write.” He says with a wink.

I close my eyes with a smile still painted on my face. See you soon, fresh start.