Conversation Of A Lifetime

We sat on my bed for three hours, sharing the framework of our lives.  From beginning to end, I heard about a house with a wall around it, and a pet locus, and starting a new life in a different country.  He heard about lonely tea parties, playing under the stars, and how stage and school has changed me.  For someone to say, "Now tell me it all, from beginning to end, and leave nothing out" and to look me in the eye and listen, was something new for me.  It was almost daunting. 

I have a life story;  everyone does.  I just never really said it all out loud...I never understood how the pieces fit and compliment each other.  I never told anyone that my childhood was lonely, or that my mother once almost left my father, or that I was scared of my grandfather.  My story isn't greatly tragic or exciting, but it's mine.

Watching and listening to him share his memories made me appreciate him so much more.  I admire a lot about Nathan, but now I can better understand how all those things I admire came to be.  I've been replaying pieces of his story in my head, wanting to commit to memory the things he told me.

Our evening ended with my head in his lap and his fingers in my hair, talking to each other quietly.  He's so good at listening to all my fears and making me believe that I can be stronger and better today than I was yesterday.  That evening is a new and very special piece of my story.