Silent Empathy
During a flight, I found myself sitting next to a businessman. At the time, I was a 19-year-old who had recently undergone an abortion. Seeking comfort, I asked a flight attendant for a blanket but was informed that they didn’t have any. As my emotions overwhelmed me, you, the businessman, took off your suit jacket and placed it over my shoulders. I found solace in the mature scent of your cologne as I wept into the sleeves. Throughout the short flight, we didn’t exchange any words, but for those precious 60 minutes, I felt supported.
— Rachel Young
I Loved Her All Along
At the age of 15, I had been getting into trouble while living in New York, so my mother made the decision to move us back to Puerto Rico. It was in San Juan that I encountered a girl who approached our group, offering fresh fruit. Instantly, I felt an indescribable connection. However, she didn’t smile and I soon discovered that she was straight, devoutly Catholic, and had a boyfriend. It would take decades, after I joined the Army and she went through a divorce, for our love to finally blossom. And it happened just in the nick of time.
Vic Alvarez
‘Where Our Palms Touch’
I was a four-year-old in Victoria, B.C., standing at a busy intersection with my grandpa, whom I affectionately called Ojiichan. Ever since we moved from Tokyo, he seemed different to me. I distanced myself from him slowly, feeling a sense of unease. However, as I unknowingly approached danger with my foot in the crosswalk, Ojiichan’s hand quickly enveloped mine, providing me with a profound sense of safety. He didn’t panic or scold me, but simply held on. In that moment, as our palms touched, I experienced a tingling sensation that I now understand as love.
Rumi Tsuchihashi
Making Her Carry My Pain
When my sister got her first boyfriend at the age of 15, I was so consumed by my own ego and shame that I refused to speak to her for four months. Although we lived in the same house in Sydney, Australia, I avoided any room she entered. I was three years older, yet I hadn’t experienced a relationship myself. In my selfishness, I failed to realize that I was burdening my little sister with my own pain. She silently endured it, and when I finally reached out to her and invited her back into my life, she forgave me instantly. A decade later, she remains my unwavering support and I am filled with regret for my past behavior. Kate, I am deeply sorry and I love you.
Grace Bird
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