A Million Miles

I was awake and daydreaming of better days, of sunshine, laughter, love, and happiness. My eyes grew heavy and sleep took me under, to the deep under. Its the kind of slumber when you don't know if its a dream or a vision and always leaves you a little heart broken. It always hits you at the wrong time, leaving you exhausted as if you'd literally traveled a million miles. This time, it hit me the moment I should have woken up and started my day. It took me back, pulling me to its core. I open my eyes- I'm sitting on the side of a bed. I feel love, warmth, protection, and happiness. I feel something in my arm and look down. There, in the crook of my arm, a precious little one lay sleeping contently without a care in the world. But the face is never clear to me. It’s like a fog is present to disguise and to create mystery. I'm then holding the baby in front of me when an orb of bright light appears in the room directly over him or her. Next, I'm in an open kitchen putting dishes into a dishwasher. I feel the warmth of the sunshine shining in on my neck and as soon as I look up to invite more in, I'm back in my room, in this place.

Prophecy

This story begins with two women—culturally different, yet surprisingly similar in many ways. Their careers had brought them together, and from that connection, a friendship was born. One of the women had initially believed the other to be a certain type of person, only to discover later that she was quite the opposite. Whether it was all an act or something far more sinister remained a mystery. Time might reveal the truth, but perhaps it never would.

As teammates, they were required to work closely together, often collaborating with the other two members of their team. Getting to know people wasn’t exactly Shannon’s strength, but she eventually made an effort. Her coworkers were overly curious, eager to know everything about her personal life. While she had nothing to hide, she always found it unsettling when people seemed obsessed with every detail about someone else’s life. They seemed fascinated by everything she did. Yet, they were not people of faith, not believers. And when they encountered someone like her, someone who defied their narrow stereotypes, she became an enigma, something to observe and analyze.

Over the years, as she refined her professional skills, she also found herself quietly observing them too  at work events, social functions, and in everyday interactions. The work environment gradually became more toxic, though humor helped lighten the mood. They often made jokes and shared laughter. One recurring topic was the other woman’s love life. She was in her second marriage, this time to a man of Asian and European descent. Shannon often wondered aloud—this valley-bleach blonde married a Muslim man? A Turk? It was unexpected. She had introduced the team to some of her family, yet never brought her husband around. That raised a few eyebrows, including those of the other teammates.

Bleach blonde often spoke about trying to have children, lamenting their struggles with infertility despite exhausting every option. Shannon silently thought, Maybe God simply won’t allow it. Or maybe… he’s impotent. One day, following a team meeting, the two women stayed back to plan something small for the team. Their conversation drifted into casual banter. Feeling particularly frustrated, Shannon blurted out, “I’m going to be a bum and live on the beach—a beach bum.” Laughter erupted. She then paused and said, “Wait, I need to elevate my thinking. I’m going to marry a rich man and move to the beach.” Because really—who wanted to live life poor and alone?

It became her catchphrase, something she said whenever they had to deal with something ridiculous at work—which, admittedly, was quite often. Their humorous moments continued, especially when Bleach Blonde complained about her ongoing fertility struggles and jokingly said she’d even try standing on her head. That always left Shannon in a fit of laughter. Eventually, the marriage didn’t survive. Before long, Shannon moved to a different building, but not before the friendship took a turn for the worse. It became clear that the Bleach Blonde had never truly been her friend. It was a painful realization, but an important one. Some people only pass through one’s life briefly, often to deliver a lesson. And this experience came with more than one.

Later, Shannon learned that she met someone new and quickly became pregnant. God truly works in mysterious ways, she thought. And to top it off—she married a rich man and moved to the beach. That beach? Jupiter Beach, Florida. Shannon could only laugh and say, “That bitch stole my dream.” Or, perhaps… she had spoken both of their futures into existence.