Member-only story
What’s Left Behind
You did it. You actually did it. You took the plunge and executed flawlessly.
You surprised everyone. I was in complete shock when I heard the news. I thought I was being pranked at first.
Mitch, the guy you were helping with his college math course, was in disbelief. He couldn’t understand how someone so sweet, gentle, and kind could pull it off. What you may not have realized was he had a crush on you and was getting the courage to ask you out.
Lana, the barista at the coffee shop you regularly stopped at looked forward when you stopped in and chatted. You didn’t know she was battling depression, and your smile, kind words, and positive energy always brought her spirits up.
Sage, your friend you met online. The one that confided in you that she is in a domestically violent relationship. The one you were helping develop a safe exit strategy. She fell to her knees and wept when she heard the news. I do not think you understood how much of a lifeline you were to her. You were the first person she dared to divulge her hellish situation. She doesn’t know what made her confide in you, but she is so thankful for you. She feels guilty she brought you all her baggage and never knew you were struggling since you left the military.
The elderly couple, Joe and Iris, live in the apartment across the hallway from you. It was so hard to break the news to them. You were like the child they were never able to conceive. They adored you. You were the biggest help to them; always bringing them groceries when the weather was inclement; cooking huge meals for them, just so they had leftovers; and sharing a laugh. In your mind you were just helping out a neighbor; they cherished the memories. They never told you they cut every article about you and saved it in a memory book.
Remember going to the elementary school and sharing your story about bullying? You didn’t tell them how to stop the bully; you told them how to invest in themselves and used yourself as an example. One of those ways was learning martial arts. What you didn’t know was how it motivated a little girl to sign up for martial arts classes in hopes of defending herself against her predatory family member.
Oh, and the martial arts studio you volunteered at to teach kids..well, the kids just know…
