Faith's Heart

Faith’s Heart

Surrounded by a mountain of crumpled paper and staring at a blank page, Faith let out a big sigh of discouragement. She had been planning to create a story for such a long time there was no lack of supplies on hand to create.The supplies and the ideas that won’t grow blanketed the carpet in her bedroom. If someone came to visit, they would likely have to strategically step so as not to disturb or break something she might need later on.She was uncomfortably situated in a small space with the glaring blank page in front of her.

The overwhelming anxiety she felt knowing that once the ink from her pen permanently penetrated the page, it was a commitment. What if she used the wrong word? What if no one liked it once she completed it? What if she sounded like a total idiot when someone very important read her story? Her inner critic was brutal. It was so brutal that she started to really think about it, and realized that her opportunity to find love was as bad as her ability to complete the story she was trying to write.

So, just like every time she failed to commit, she began to get out of her spot and start doing the chores that she normally would when she would give up on herself. The chores, she knew, she could complete. She got lost in a daydream while she was getting up and suddenly there, appeared a heart.

The heart was poofy and billowy like out of a Saturday morning cartoon. It was full of everything a heart can be: life, love, optimism, empathy, kindness, consideration, generosity. This heart took a good look at Faith and before she could even realize, there was a “Bonk” right square on her forehead. Well that went sideways, she thought. Faith at this point didn’t know what to do and for the reality to really sink in, it took some time for her to believe her reality.

The heart giggled and then motioned her gently, to get up out of her spot. She continued to just stare in awe like she saw Michael B Jordan, when the heart proceeded to “Bonk” her again.

“Okay, okay, I’m getting up. Relax.” she muttered.

The heart smiled. There was no extra emotion coming from the heart. It just was.

“So where are we going?” she asked.

The heart gently motioned her to follow it out of her apartment. As she did, she almost got lost in its light getting to where they were going. Their destination, Starbucks on 5th and Main St. The store was beyond busy creating the delectable coffee creations so many yearned for.

In the back corner over by the restrooms was this crushed soul of a man named Scott. Faith had never seen him before and was genuinely curious why she was to look at him. The heart magnified their view and showed Faith his heart. His heart looked like it had been on I70 in the middle of a big accident during a winter storm. It was flat, bleeding, totally scarred and full of so much pain and misery. It mattered to Faith and the heart because the heart was showing her an example of a crushed heart. An example of a heart that could most definitely be in her future. A heart that this heart had always feared.

Scott had arrived at Starbucks full of hope and anticipation for an amazing future with Abigail. He had every intention that day to propose to her, they had been dating now, 6 years. When Abigail arrived at Starbucks, she broke the news that she was in love with Jeremy from her job. She was truly sorry and hated doing this to Scott, yet she did. When Faith and the heart arrived, it had only been around ten minutes since Abigail left. So much can happen in small moments that can change the trajectory of one’s life.

Scott looked up and saw Faith, she quietly and gently approached him with a hug. It was a needed hug. A hug in which so much of his emotions released while she squeezed him a little, putting in hope and encouragement for a better tomorrow.

“Thank you,” Scott smiled as he said it to Faith.

“You’re most definitely welcome,” she smiled back.

He sat back down and continued to contemplate life. He needed this time

The heart motioned Faith to walk out the store for there was more to see. When she looked up to the street, the heart somehow made visible all the hearts to see. She saw a couple in love with their hearts hugging each other. She saw little kids laughing and playing together and their hearts, small and mighty. It was so evident there was not even an ounce of fear in their hearts. As she took inventory of all the people around her, she was able to gather that every single person out in the world were each traveling a different journey and that was so clear with the size and shapes of all the hearts in the world.

In that moment, Faith actually realized that keeping hers hidden and guarded was not helping her at all. She realized she needed to take risks. Her fear of messing up only faulted her in actually creating anything. This wasn’t at all what she expected.

In a second surprising twist, she felt a gentle tap on her shoulder.

“Hi again,” Scott politely said.

“Hi,” she politely replied.

“Thank you again for that hug,” he continued to say.

“You’re welcome, of course, it was what you needed,” she happily replied.

“Well my name is Scott, what’s yours?” he asked politely. He was very big on being polite.

“Faith,” she replied.

“Beautiful name,” he responded.

She blushed and then said thank you.

They both started talking and the heart that for this little while was all she could think about, disappeared inside of her as hers began to beat a little harder with Scott’s smile. She had come to discover that he too, is a writer and he completely understands her fear and her critic.

It must’ve been a twist of fate like that old 80s movie with John Travolta and Olivia Newton John.Faith’s journey now included Scott and she knew for sure he would be there to help her write.