It's Always You

The Man

Why do I know her?

This was all I could think about as I stared at this woman across the mall. I’m sure I’ve never met her but something about her feels so familiar. She was stunning. Her hair curled into a full, beautiful afro that made her stand out from everyone else in the room. Her skin was a golden brown that seemed to glow whenever the sun hit her skin. I felt as if she was this rare, mythical figure. Something that would disappear the second I looked away.

But there was something else. Some other connection that I could not figure out. It was not something that was just on the tip of my tongue, but at the edge of my heart. It felt as if my soul was reaching out to her. As I looked at her, the tension in my body released, and I felt a tranquility come over me. I felt like I’ve finally found what I have been searching for my entire life. She was with some friends but I needed to talk to her. To find out what this was. I started to walk towards her when she suddenly did something that made gravity lift….

…she laughed.

And suddenly I saw us. Both of us were wearing beautiful African attire with locks down to our backs. We were getting married and the whole village came to celebrate with us. I had spent months trying to prove myself to her father, putting myself through every trial and tribulation to earn his blessing. She laughed throughout all of this. 

I took another step closer and we changed again, this time sitting atop the Fløyen Mountains of Norway. Her auburn hair blowing in the frigid wind as she played with our three children. We tried for so long to have kids and when the three blessings finally came, nothing could have stopped my wife's laughter and happiness. 

With another step I saw us again, watching the vastness of the Atlantic. We rocked and waded on the deck of our ship, dancing and laughing with our crew as we awaited new adventures. 

Each step I took I saw us, living thousands of lives. She looked different in every reality but I know it’s her. 

It’s always her. 

I nearly wept with tears as I saw her gorgeous eyes. A beautiful brown that brightens as she smiles. 

Wait. Her eyes? Oh no she’s looking right at me!  What should I do? 

But I can’t stop now. My body was no longer listening to me. I was drawn to her like a magnet. I have to talk to her. I have to know her name. 

The Woman

 I was feeling anxious. Here I am in the middle of the mall, listening to my friends talk about our coworkers, when the walls started to close in. These attacks happen randomly and there was nothing I could do to stop them. My vision started to darken and my breathing started to quicken. I was about to panic when suddenly, I felt someone coming towards me. 

 Who was this guy and where do I know him from? I’ve never seen him before and yet there was something about him that seemed familiar. He was walking towards me and I don’t understand why, but the closer he came, the safer I felt. It was as if all my anxiety, all my stress and fears slowly started melting away with every step he took. Was it an attraction? He was over six feet tall, and had a muscular build with broad shoulders and large arms. His skin brown, with warm golden undertones and hair kept short and clean. He was strong too, his hands were calloused, obviously showing he works hard at whatever he does. There’s something more though. In my heart I could feel it. It was like I was being pulled towards this man the closer he came. More than my heart, my soul, my very existence was drawn to him.

My heart was pounding in my chest, filling me with an anticipation that I’ve never known. It was almost at the point of bursting until he did something so familiar. 

He smiled. And the world stood still. I know that smile. I had seen it before, many times throughout my life. 

I saw it when he became chief of our Navajo clan. He had successfully defended the village when the invaders came to colonize our land. He led our clan to victory and earned the respect of the entire tribe.My father appointed him leader and I was finally able to marry him.

I saw it again after we finally bought a home during The Great Depression. He had worked so hard at his job at the factory that he always came home exhausted. Any other person would be at their breaking point, taking all their frustrations on the people around them, but not him. He had that smile on his face and said he will always do whatever he can to take care of me and our three kids. 

I saw it again after he saved me from the soldiers of the Italian mob. I had borrowed some money from the Don and could not pay him back. When his men came to collect, he came out of nowhere fighting off the thugs and taking me to safety. He looked back at me with that smile and told me not to worry, everything will be alright.

As he came closer, I began to move towards him too. I could feel my soul reaching out, desperately wanting to reconnect with the love from so long ago. My body is like the moon, gravitating towards my world in a never ending dance. As I stepped closer, I saw more of our lives together. So many cultures, so many different lifestyles, but always one constant. 

The love for each other.

I continued to see and feel all this until he was right in front of me.

The Man

Here she was. The love of so many lives. I’m nervous, but excited at the same time. We stared into each other’s eyes, both understanding that this was the beginning of another chapter in the story of us. And to begin this story, all I had to do was introduce myself.

“Hi my name’s Adan,” I said.

She laughs, the same beautiful laugh I’ve heard all my lives.

“Hi Adan. My name’s Evelyn.”