I went to the balloon museum recently, with my mom and son. My mom, who hasn’t visited in some time, loved it, and it was great spending time with my two favorite people.
While there, it was filled with young couples. A lot of them seemed younger than me, and their relationships seemed like they were in that beautiful cupcake phase. They all looked so happy – and I was happy for them.
When the light show began (see the video at the end), it was such a soothing experience and I was lost in its calming effects. But I guess my face showed discomfort instead of stillness, because my mom asked me if I was feeling lonely or envied them. I didn’t, not at all. Which I told her.
Today I’m traveling. I’m at the airport, navigating the gates, getting myself something to eat, carrying my backpack on my back. I’m doing the things — I’m life-ing.
As I’m lined up walking into the plane, there’s a couple in front of me. Older couple, maybe mid-fourties, early fifties. They were giggling and talking. I don’t usually eavesdrop. In fact, I’m very good at tuning other people’s conversations out. Which is why it took me so long to hear that they were flirting.
Now, I don’t know these people. It could’ve been that they’ve only just met, and they too are in a cupcake phase. But it felt, and seemed, as if they were built-in. Like they had spent time together building this thing.
It seemed to me that they stood the test of time.
Again, I could’ve been wrong about that. But it brought me back to the question my mom had asked me. And if she’d asked me the same question about this couple, I’d say yes.
This is what moves me. What makes me yearn for love — seeing love that makes it. Not just making it while talking about it like it’s a chore, but making it and still being in love. Still being joyful & whimsical & flirtatious.
I don’t care what they say about love over time. I believe it should be alive. Yes, hard times come. Yes, life can get monotonous.
But love, especially love that is made anew each day, each year, each decade, is a beautiful thing. A joyful thing. The experience of a lifetime.
I want that love.
Z's Comfort Zone 