Her Awareness

The blaze roared; devouring the oak dining room table and chairs her dad created for as their wedding gift. She heard a slight whistle seep from the cushions of the couch as they fell helplessly into the flames. As the rage of flames consumed the curtains, minuscule flakes sprang from the burning fabric. For a second, she awed at its beauty; its majestic form dominating all in its path. Escaping from the house, she could hear the sirens blaring. Her glossy eyes reflected the image of an inevitable truth--the hopelessness every human being encounters at least once in his/her lifetime--the loss of something you love. Although she was deeply saddened watching her home disappear before her eyes, one thing was clear--her awareness of who she was, which always proved to be in her favor.

I survived. I always survive.

As Jim arrived, he was overcome with emotion. He ran towards her, arms spread out in hopes to comfort her; yet she knew, he was the one who needed comforting the most. For the past nine months, Jim, his dad and his father-in-law, all worked on renovating this house, which finally began to feel like home.

“Glad we didn’t buy that welcome mat,” he offered, as a poor attempt to make her smile.

Jim was good at making me smile, but not tonight. She was focused on one thing. Survival. What would they have to do tomorrow? Meet with the insurance agent; go down to the police station and fire station to complete all reports…

“THE SAFE!”

“It’s fire proof Sweetie. I insured the paintings too. I know you thought I wouldn’t remember,” Jim joked, with a strained smile on his face.

She could tell he was hurting more than he let on. That’s what happens when you invest so much into something and all of the sudden, it’s gone. You feel depleted, immediately emptied and weighed down all at the same time. And she felt it too.

“Your dad always says, ‘B.S. happens…to some more than others. It’s what you do after that really matter.’”

“We’ll survive,” she whispered to Jim, smiling, knowing that Jim cleaned up her father’s words. Jim’s always been good at making me smile.