Dear stranger, you probably don’t remember me, but you found me crying in my green volkswagen cabrio. You were driving a black lincoln town car when you pulled up next to me at a red light on santa monica and sepulveda. You didn’t know that i had recently moved to los angeles from boston, carrying all my troubles with me, like a bag full of rocks. You didn’t know that i was cursed to constantly judge every decision. Cursed to never know the feeling of trusting myself. You couldn’t see the scars from memories i will never live again.
I glanced your way and saw you motion me to roll my window down. Trying to fight back tears, i put my bag of troubles on the passenger seat, and rolled my window down. The sun was setting, your eyes danced in the golden light, and i could tell you were kindhearted by the way time marked your face. With a warm smile, you told me, “everything will be okay.” and just like that, the light turned green, and with a wave of your time worn hand, you were gone.
I want you to know that you were right. Everything did turn out okay. I am a wife and a mother now and life is so good. I want you to know that i was going to leave los angeles and go back home to boston before you pulled up next me, kind words fluttering from your mouth.
Because of you, i followed my heart and stayed. Because of you, i stayed and met my husband. Because of you, i have three beautiful little souls, dancing around my ankles, in the same golden light.
I left some of the rocks from my bag of troubles on the corner of santa monica and sepulveda that day. Now i carry a lesser load because of kind words from a dear stranger.
