My Words To You....

I sat in the posh restaurant on Capitol Hill with him. He had asked me how I planned to do my exit from Facebook as the time was drawing close. I told him what my last post was going to be but I said that before that, on Friday night, I had a quote I wanted to share with everyone. We had been discussing the writing of F. Scott Fitzgerald which had been the perfect segue into the quote. I pulled out my phone and pulled the quote up and started to read it to him. I started out strong but halfway through my voice begin to falter and the candlelit room grew dimmer and began to shimmer through my watery eyes as they filled with tears.

The strangest thought hit me. I had forgotten to worry about what if he thought I was ugly. To a new reader this probably sounds silly but to my old friends, they will nod and smile. I had completely forgotten to worry about being pretty for him. Because, it was not a concern. I hadn't even thought to make it one. That was such a huge thing for me and it hit me all of the sudden then and there as I was reading the quote.

I stopped reading. Afraid if I continued that I would start to cry. I started again and my voice caught and this time a tear slipped and rolled down my cheek. I almost stopped again but I didn't. Stopping would have been disrespectful to the quote itself. It would have been the opposite of what it stood for. I think the beauty of the quote stood out that moment, not so much in its simple words but in the emotion that literally choked me as I read it.

I finished. Half in a sob but strong. My tears rolling freely down my cheeks. I allowed them to fall and looked up at him. He wasn't mad or disappointed in me. He had this kind gentle smile on his face. He asked if he could now tell all that he had seen Josephine cry. I smiled as I dabbed away tears with my napkin and I said that he could tell them anything he wanted because Josephine is not afraid any more and not ashamed to show or feel her feelings.

I am still not sure who this girl is. But, I can say without a doubt she is beautiful and full of passion.  I share these words now with you. This is the picture I was reading from. Sitting next to the window in Charlie Palmer's across from the Capitol all light up at night. Enjoying a nice dinner with a handsome and intelligent man and realizing that I was living the quote right then and there as I read it.

Thank you. All of you. And, I hope you have the courage and strength if one day, you need it too.

Josephine Seven
14 JUN 2013