I'm Sorry Boris

From a House to a Home

I smiled at the man. Enjoying his presence. I didn't even know him but I felt more safe and at home on this train with him than I ever did in my actual home. I wondered where he was off to. A wife and kids at home or was he still on his adventure called life as well? I decided to ask him. 

"So where are you headed?" I ask but quickly realize that sounds creepy so I follow up with, "I need inspiration on where to go." He nods his head and says one simple word: "home"

Confused, I go to open my mouth to speak but he starts before me. "Home doesn't have to be a place. It can be a people. A house is a place but what makes it a home? The people. The people do." 

"I see." I say. "How did you meet your home? Your people?" I ask him. 

The man starts to gather his things and I realize we are approaching a stopping point. He's probably getting off the train. I feared he would never answer. And I'd spend the next year wondering who this man was and why he chose me to give this advice to. 

To extinguish my fears he looks at me as he stands, "Life is about continuing onto your unknown destination until you find the people that make that destination home." I froze. Not in shock but in awe? I went to open my mouth but no words came flooding out. 

The man turned around and smiled at me as he got off the train, "Farewell and good luck!" He says as the train doors shut to mute the noises of the outside. And that was that. I'd probably never see this man again. The complete stranger who just gave me advice that would change the way I looked at everything in life. Out of utter kindness he just gave a eighteen year old kid from a broken home advice that would forever change their life. 

"Wow" I said to myself. I picked up my guitar and continued to strum a similar tune. Not quite the same notes but with a similar singing tone. Maybe I could pursue music? Write songs? Eh, but I'll keep it in my back pocket for a rainy day.

I picked up my pen and paper and wrote down the chords and lyrics to the song I played for this man. The song that made me hear words I've needed to hear my whole life. "I'm sorry Boris" to my beloved brother that I one day would return for. 

I knew in that moment that I would dedicate my entire life to pursuing that man's words. Maybe one day I'd be the one on that train giving people my wisdom. I was unsure of a lot of things in that moment but one thing was for sure: that man, a complete stranger at that, just possibly saved my life. 

I knew now that there was a reason. For everything in life there IS a reason whether it's clear or not. There was a reason that man was on the train at the same time as me. We needed to cross paths. It was meant to be. Maybe there was a reason I locked eyes with that subway worker two hours ago. Probably not but hey, you never know. Maybe one day I could thank her for her simple words that helped me to keep going and not go back to that house I used to call home. 

One day, one day I'll get to share my travels with the world. And I think music was the way to go. Simple yet effective. There was a reason.