Dear you,

I heard you’re getting married.

At first this news stunned me into a brain short-circuit, causing me to have to ask if I’d heard things correctly….

“You mean him?”
“Yeah, him…”
“Oh, wow! That’s wonderful!”

Just then I swiftly rose my cocktail to my lips and took a long swig of burning vodka swirled with cranberry juice. I swallowed hard. The rest of the conversation whirred past me in distant murmers of sound, but I continued to nod my head without hearing any details. I excused myself a few minutes later and retreated to the bathroom, where I took several deep breaths as I stared at myself in the mirror. I looked through my reflection and thought to how we once had talked of marriage. It seemed inevitable. We were young, I suppose. But we fit. I mean, right? We talked about that later ~ how we fit so well together.

You used to pass through my heart and my dreams quite often. I carried a torch, burning softly under my skin. With one fire already burning inside of me, I found it almost impossible to ignite another. With time, of course, I learned to like and lust and love again. But it was never quite the same.

Just hours before I heard of your engagement, I had spoken of you. I spoke about you and I spoke about us. I did. Only a few hours before…

Now, after a couple of weeks with this news, I am happy. I am happy for you. And I am happy for me.

I can finally let the torch fade out, with a clear mind and an open heart. I am throwing the torch into the powerful waves to be carried away to sea.

I wish you all the best in your life. Congratulations!

Goodbye and good luck!
With a happy heart and warm smile,
Ali