My mom used to say, "All the realities were once fantasies." At the time, I didn't really grasp the depth of that statement. However, as I drove through the winding roads flanked by tall cypress trees, the winter evening breeze mixed with the scent of cornfields brought a moment of realization.
We often find comfort in fantasies, immersing ourselves in worlds we can't experience. We spend our days daydreaming about things beyond our reach, sometimes overlooking what we already have. Yet, it's important to remember that our present realities were once someone's imagined fantasies.
As I headed to Toronto, Canada, where my elder brother lived, I had no other option. Home wasn't a viable choice either. So, the day before my journey, I pulled out my cellphone, called Carl, and informed him about my move to Toronto for a new job.
"Hold on, what did you just say?" His voice, busy with work at the family firm, conveyed surprise. Our family was deeply rooted in business, and the idea of me taking up a job in an elementary school was unconventional.
Without giving him a chance to argue, I quickly mentioned staying at his apartment temporarily until I found my own place.
He was fine with me staying with him. No issues; after all, I'm his sister, and he loves me the most. The song "I don't need Nobody to love" played in my car, taking me back to the days when all I craved was love.
In my teenage years, during those hot summer days when kids played in the streets, my thoughts revolved around fantasies of love. I spent hours imagining the person I would fall in love with, my first kiss, and other romantic notions fueled by the books I read.
Romance used to be my favorite genre, or maybe it still was, or maybe not. Over time, I went through various phases of love and relationships, both immature and mature, shaping my likes, dislikes, and overall personality.
My mom, concerned about my relationships, advised against experiencing heartbreaks resulting from immature decisions made during our teenage years. I, however, brushed off her advice, finding it dull. I craved adventure and wanted to enjoy life without constraints, like birds flying freely in any direction.
It seemed fine back then, not wanting to be controlled by anyone, not even my parents. Looking back now, I regret that mindset. We all go through such phases, making decisions that later seem senseless, landing ourselves in unforeseen troubles.
"You'll understand it one day," my mom said the day I decided to leave home for a live-in relationship with my newly formed boyfriend.