Home is where the Heart is

Charles Warren, otherwise known as Charlie, to his friends, sat back in his seat and tried to relax, but he was anxious. His plane would be landing in Nashville shortly, and his mini-vacation would soon be over. It had taken a year of planning and effort, but the weekend he spent at Hershey was the happiest he had been since he went to D.C. three years prior. He didn’t get to travel much, but when he did, he always felt comfortable and found himself soaring higher than what he ever imagined. 

Life had been cruel to him, considering his bouts of anxiety and depression that made him feel isolated from the world, especially his family. While he was fortunate that his parents had allowed him to see Anne and Donna, his two best friends, he was afraid of being trapped in their shadow forever. Despite their assurance, he believed that they didn’t understand him, which made things difficult for them. On top of considering himself an ugly duckling and not feeling proud for all he’d accomplish, Charlie hated being at home. It was where his misery came out in full force. 

No, he wanted to travel. He wanted to see the world, meet new people, discover new cultures and places, all while enriching his mind. There was so much the world had to offer, which had yet to be fully realized, such as the pure blue sky facing him as he looked out the airplane’s window. At 38,000 feet, he thought, it was heaven. The view from so high above couldn’t be found anywhere else, and while it made most people nervous, it helped Charlie relax. 

“Enjoying yourself?” asked the passenger in the seat next to him. 

Charlie turned his head slightly and smiled. “I am. I never get the window seats, but as long as I can still see the view, I’m all good.”

“I like the window seats as well, but don’t you usually have any fears while looking out?”

“Nope.”

“Never?”

“Never.” 

“How?” asked the passenger. 

“I see myself as a bird flying and looking down at the world below, enjoying the view and finding happiness with the clouds. As a bird, I can feel the sunshine on me, feeling free from the inner torment of my mind.”

The passenger, meanwhile, looked stunned for a moment before the look faded. “I admit that I’ve never thought of it that way before. You’ve made me view flying in a new light.”

“Glad to be of service.” joked Charlie. 

As the passenger turned back to his own devices, Charlie was left alone with his thoughts. Sure, his trip was coming to an end, but it didn’t mean that he didn’t have to leave the happiness behind. Charlie didn’t want to go back to a family place filled with the fears and uncertainty taking over him. That wasn’t the life he wanted to live and knew his friends felt the same way since they spent several hours talking about their lives and opening up to one another while at the hotel. Just thinking about his friends made him smile. The laughter, memories, and inside jokes from their time at HersheyPark and the nearby factory would stay forever. There was no way he was going to make those memories leave his mind. He didn’t care if he had to place them alongside the massive tree he hugged at Mt. Vernon three years before going to D.C. 

It would be tough work, but Charlie was determined to give it all he got when he returned home. Charlie wanted to work hard so that his family would be impressed and show them that traveling could help him battle his struggles. He’d already concluded that the more he could travel, the happier he’d feel. Charlie could devote his energy to gardening and yardwork since he had a new passion for the outdoors. He also found that he enjoyed spending time walking and being active in case the humidity was not insane. It also helped to keep his mind off of the troubles that could plague his mind without a moment’s notice. 

For once in his life, Charlie felt satisfied with his idea. No second-guessing or doubts lingering in the depths of his mind, the gears of his internal clock all run smoothly and push everything forward as it ought to be. With his autism, which was a well-hidden secret that hardly anyone knew about, his mind could get overwhelming at times and make him very emotional without warning. It was one of the reasons he sought an escape because he was tired of carrying that baggage all around him. He wanted a life where he could be free without the burdens of it weighing him down.

The Captain’s voice spoke overhead, “Attention passengers, we’ll be landing shortly, so make sure you’re prepared for an orderly exit when we disembark.” He said. 

“Ready to return home?” Charlie asked the passenger who talked to him earlier. 

“Oh yeah. The wife and kids have been missing me like crazy, and they’re ready to tell them all about my travels.” Charlie smiled. “How about you?”

“I’m ready as I’ll ever be. It’ll be good to see my folks again, but I’m not sure about going home.” He replied. 

“I know what you mean, but someone once said that home is where the heart is, and as long as your heart’s happy, you’ve got a home.” 

“Hmm, I never thought of it that way before. Thank you…”

“Jacob. Jacob Green.” 

“I can’t believe we went the entire trip without introducing ourselves to each other.”

“It’s okay, but you’ve been a great company.”

“I can say the same for you.”

“A pleasure. I hope we’ll be able to see each other again.”

“Depends on where you live.”

“You already know the answer to that.”

As Jacob gathered his belongings since the airport was now in sight, Charlie paused to reflect on his words. A few seconds passed before a small smile crept upon his face since he did know the answer to where Jacob lived. Charlie didn’t know why, but a gut feeling told him that Jacob lived where he did and had known about him for a long time. It made Charlie happy because he was someone who didn’t judge him and was a total stranger, but had the warmth and welcoming of an old friend. 

While the plane made it descent onto the runway, Charlie gathered his things and made sure that his seat was put back the way it was when he first boarded the plane. Even though it had only been a few hours since he’d left his friends and had traveled home, it felt like a lifetime. Fortunately, that life had allowed him to reflect and made him accept the possibility of being able to succeed and be happy with himself and the life he wanted to live.

Whether it was in D.C. or HerhseyPark or anywhere else in the world, Charlie knew that as long as he had happiness in his heart, he’d have a home. He was looking forward to going home because there was a feeling that seeing the people he loved most of all might give him the happiness he’d been craving for so many years.