a gentle nudge. intuition intact.

They hadn’t seen one another for almost a year since they met on that cold fall night in October. She was already letting go in her heart, the relationship she was in. The signs were leading them to the inevitable. She knew her journey was ending. She knew her heart was telling her to follow her own path again. The one she was readying herself for. She was the only one standing in her own way, and she knew she had to do something about it.

Her friend was having a gallery opening, she extends a congratulatory message on the success of his work.

“See you at the opening?”

“It’s in three weeks! It would be impossible.”

“Well, you have three weeks to plan then.” A cheeky invitation that was meant to be.

She takes a hot shower, and starts to process the idea.

"It's crazy! I can't go."

"why not?"

A subtle voice inside of her asked this important question. The voice was soft and present. Not boastful. It was in this exact moment she followed her heart; the quiet voice, and set herself on the course of realignment. She was back in the drivers seat. She took the wheel of her life again.

As she boards the plane, she realizes her entire life is about to change. She felt it in her core. Thousands of miles were passing her by. A metaphor for how she was living life. No longer would these miles be left untouched. She would walk them again, with intention and desire. She’s nervous. She's excited.

The time they spend together is enlightening. Her heart was beginning to open again to herself; becoming alive. She felt her freedom again. She could write the pages of her own book and create the stories she was made for. The universe continued to show signs, gently reminding her she was aligning to her true desires.

They could have dove into their lusting. They could have given in to their physical want. He couldn’t bare the idea of taking anything away from her; she was in a vulnerable state.

They had open talks about their connection. They shared how they felt and how they were not ready. He was not ready for any commitment. She was not ready to have to make a choice. They were honest with themselves as they always had been with each other. They communicated their feelings with one another. Already experiencing old wounds and traumas being triggered. They did their best to talk them through. It was clear, they both needed time to learn about themselves and live out their story, alone.

After all, this was a vacation. Reality waited for her back home.

He wiped her tears as she cried. He held her in his arms when she needed a loving embrace. She reassured him he was not disappointing her. She told him she wanted to be here but knew she couldn’t. There was so much reality facing them, it was hard to dismiss. They both saw, this was not it.

Captured moments of her peace touched her fingertips, continuously showing her what life could be like if she let go. She had to let go of any expectations she had from herself. Let go of all the resentment, pain and suffering that kept her in a cycle of doom that would only cause more pain in her future.

They rode the coastal line of California on the back of his motorcycle and she was free. The air was crisp, clean and breathing life into her heart. She hung on to his waist, clutching on, but not too tightly. Embracing the beauty of the moments they were sharing, as the red wood trees whizzed past them. They stopped off at fresh oyster market, ready to indulge in fresh seafood. The only diet she cared to enjoy on the Pacific coast. They had delicate conversations about life. Hard hitting questions about feelings.

He captured a photo of her, as she prepared a delicious shot of oyster, with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice dripping down her fingers and a sprinkle of horseradish for kick. Heavenly. A moment in time to tuck away in a capsule of her life. It became a reminder to her for what she was capable of; to live in a moment.

The tears were never ending, streaming down her face during the entire flight home. Knowing what was back there; knowing what lay ahead, what she must face head on. Things needed to change and she had to be the one to make it for herself. She needed to change; what she once thought was keeping her safe was a survival mechanism to prevent the real work required, alone. It was going to be another hard decision she would have to make but needed to, in order to be happy and live her life, authentically. She's done this before. She was going to do it again. An unstoppable force.

She will find her way alone and in solitude. She would not be lonely. Just alone. She was prepared for this.

She waited in front of a pillar so he could locate her easily. She wasn't able to hold back the tears. She knew he would know, as soon as she got into the car.

His car pull up around the corner. Her heart sinks to her stomach. There's no hiding from her true form any longer. There was no way he could deny this reality they had such difficulty facing. He couldn't lie to himself anymore after this. He was going to have to face the truth with her.

A bouquet of her favorite flowers sat in the passenger seat. He opens the driver side door to come around and hug her. It feels like the last hug they may ever have. She begins to cry. There's worry on his face. He knew right then, what their fate would be. He wouldn't be able to control this. He wouldn't be able to stop it from happening. He was going to be forced to let go.