Oranges rolled everywhere, creating a citrus obstacle course in aisle three. “Johnny!” She laughed, helping me chase down the runaway fruits. “How are you?”
“I’ve been better.
I caught the genuine concern in her eyes, so different from the pity I’d been getting from everyone else. “But it’s okay!” I admitted, gathering the last orange.
“Want to grab some coffee and hear a really bad joke about floor cleaner?”
Coffee with Winona turned into weekly running sessions, which became dinner dates, which slowly transformed into something I hadn’t felt in years. Hope. She listened to my story without judgment, shared her own experiences with heartbreak, and somehow made me laugh even on my darkest days.
“You know what your problem was, Jo? You stopped growing,” she said one day. “I thought I was doing everything right.
Career, house, savings—”
“But life isn’t just about checking boxes, buddy. It’s about evolving, trying new things, and staying curious.”
“Like purple hair?” I smiled weakly. “Like being present, dumbo!” she corrected.
“Like noticing when someone dyes their hair purple.”
Like a personal spotlight!”Continue reading…
