There’s this little island I’ve been wanting to visit on the east coast. I told someone I wanted to go there someday and walk on that same beach that she had walked on with her dog. I remember that beach, looking out at it though the camera on her phone, as she walked along talking to me with her dog trotting close beside her. She was so happy talking to me, and I loved seeing her that way.
She told me all about where she lived, the people she knew, the odd jobs she did for a living, and her dreams of one day doing more and escaping to a better life. I heard about the golf carts they rode around in, the boat that came around to sell burgers, the occasional wildlife she crossed paths with, and the pets and animals she cared for. I remember us both sharing many pictures of what we saw each day, and there was endless texting about life’s ups and downs. She was the closest person to me, but also the farthest away, on that remote island only reachable by boat.
I remember her telling her dog that day that he made her heart so heavy. I had never heard someone describe it that way, but I knew exactly what she meant when she said it. She was describing a feeling that I have now felt many times for her. A feeling of this connection so deep that it cannot be described with words. A feeling that evokes both sadness and incredible joy simultaneously, and maybe all the other feelings combined together.
I know going to this island would be a life changing voyage for me. I might never actually return to my old life afterwards, or even be the same person inside. Who knows, maybe we will walk on that beach together someday. That is my greatest hope, because she was and will always be my best friend.
What are your future travel plans? Do you have a bucket list of travel destinations? Has your heart ever felt heavy for someone? Ever wonder what it would be like to live on an island only accessible by boat? Let me know in the comments, and don’t forget to like, share, and subscribe!
Ken's Life 