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“Interesting.” She smiled and nodded.
“I’m actually headed to Tennessee for a poetry residency.”
Her lips curled up slightly. “Is that so?”
I drew in a deep breath. “For three months.”
“That’s quite a commitment.”
“It is, but we only have one shot on this earth, and it goes by so quickly as it is.” I bit my lip and thought about Grandma Cecilia. “I’m doing it for my grandmother. She was a poet, but she let fear keep her from her passion.”
The lady’s head tipped slightly. “Fear?”
“Fear of rejection.”
“That’s the worst kind, isn’t it.” She wasn’t really asking.
The captain announced our departure, and I slipped my phone onto my lap.
“I should confess something to you,” the woman confided.
“What’s that?” I asked, unsure of what kind of confession needed to be traded between two strangers.
“I’m a literary agent.” Her eyes twinkled. “And I’m intrigued.”
“Wow. Thank you.”
“No, thank you.” She slid me a business card. “I’d love to see more of your writing.”
“You would?” I asked, feeling my throat constrict for absolutely no reason.
“I would.” She nodded. “Have you ever thought about writing a story about your grandmother?”
“I—” My mouth snapped shut while I thought about. A tale deserved to be told about her, no doubt. “I don’t know if I’m skilled enough to do that.”
“Doubt is such a powerful notion.” She eyed me. “Only those who truly believe in themselves are rewarded, while the rest of us are resigned to just imagine.”
I smiled, acknowledging the irony. “Yeah. I have thought about writing about my grandmother. Should I send my proposal to your email on the card?”
I glanced down to see her name.
Cecilia.
I gasped. “Cecilia is my grandmother’s name.”
“It’s a good name,” she said softly.
I nodded. “It absolutely is.”
By the time we got to cruising altitude, I knew that for the first time in my life, I’d silenced the beast of doubt and insecurity.
We didn’t speak any more on the flight, but the moment the plane touched down, I no longer felt scared. I felt invigorated.
For the moment, I belonged here, and I wasn’t going to fight it any longer.
I breathed out a breath of resilience for my grandma, for my family, and for Lucas. But mostly, for me.
And for the first time in a long time, I didn’t feel like running.
