Jake's Journey

Jake had been away from his hometown for almost a decade, leaving to carve out a life in the bustling big city far from the small quiet suburb where he had grown up. But when he received the letter with news of his mother’s passing, he found himself reluctantly journeying back home to attend the funeral and face the memories he had long ago tried to bury.

The small town had changed a lot from his memory of it, as well as its people. Jake had arrived early in the morning on the day of the funeral, the late letter and his indecision on whether he wanted to return made it so that he was almost late for the reception. As he entered the funeral home, he spotted many familiar faces that brought back many good and bad memories of his adventurous youth. Among them were family and friends, but one in particular stood out as she always had. Emily, his childhood sweetheart they had been inseparable since childbirth and many thought that they would grow old together. She looked radiant and confident as ever, the never was another in this town that could hold a torch for her, he thought. She was standing towards the front near the casket with many others, as their eyes caught jake noticed something unmistakable on her, she was several months pregnant and had her hand resting gently on her rounded belly. Jake wasn’t surprised by the fact she was pregnant; he had heard from some old friends that she had gotten married several years back but the surprise still caught him off guard. While still surprised by this event, his mother’s old friends all noticed him and swarmed him to give off respects and talk to him. This went on up to the funeral, to everyone’s surprise jake did not give a speech during he just sat there let others talk about his mother and kept silent but attentive. After the service, those that had been unable to greet Jake before came up and offered their condolences, yet he still seemed distant and withdrawn. His solemn demeanor made many question what was going on with him, they hadn’t heard from him in forever and here he is just appearing without a notice to his mother’s funeral.

After the service had concluded and for several days afterwards Jake had decided to go through his old childhood house, sorting through the memories of his youth. Some of the pictures and drawings took him back to the times when they happened. Like when he and a few other friends had, decided to jump their bikes across a small stream, all went well except for pounds of mud that they were caked in. Or the time that his friend Chris, had just gotten his driver’s license and not 2 hours after getting it had gotten a ticket for running a stop sign. To him this was a nice quiet reflection that he hadn’t planned for but was comforting. After several days of this he started seeing all his old friends come by many never leaving this quaint little area, they had settled into expected Lives that many before them had also done. Successful careers, growing families, and the comfort of familiarity. Meanwhile, Jake’s life had been anything but, he had towards the end of his high school days started to yearn for something more, he was unsure of this life that seemed so sure and wanted something else. So, he got up and left 3 days after graduation, not telling a soul, just took his car and drove away. He stayed in contact with family and friends but never came back and never wanted to till now. His life after had been a whirlwind, this many ups and downs, and moments of profound growth, and utter dejection.

One afternoon while out on a walk to clear his mind and get out of the old house, Jake bumped into Emily. Never having a chance to talk at the funeral, Jake was happy that he was able to catch up with her. The last time they had talked was after he had skipped town, he called her on the phone and just said goodbye, he had wondered for years before if he should’ve said more but never built up the courage to come back or call her. To his surprise Emily held no grudge, yeah, she made fun of him for bailing on her and everyone like that, but she had moved on since then and told herself and Jake that she held no feelings for him like that anymore. She talked about what she had been up to with her thriving career, loving husband, and growing family. While hearing all of this Jake felt a sadness come over him, his thoughts went to what could have been, but as they talked that feeling in him changed. He noticed that while he was happy for everything, she had accomplished those were things that he didn’t want, then or even right now. He started realizing as they talked that he was content with who he was and where he was going, he had gained a peaceful acceptance to where his life had taken him. He had no marriage or children to show for his years like Emily had, but he had been able to explore beyond the small town and travel to many different places, he had gained experiences that were shaped in ways that he couldn’t explain to himself.

As the conversation grew longer, Emily stopped talking about herself and her family and started asking Jake about him and what he had been up to. He spoke of the places he had traveled, the people he had met, and the stories he had built along the way. He shared how those experiences had given a sense of fulfillment and understanding, even in the absence of traditional milestones. Emily listened attentively, she was amazed at all he was able to do and experience, she felt a sense of grief over the fact that she had never experienced those things. While she might have had resentment for how things in their youth had gone down, she was finding a growing admiration for him all over again. Not for who he was but for who he had become, he was someone who had truly embraced life and had lived. Jake had found happiness in the little things that many others hadn’t. They noticed that time had gotten away from them and hugged as old friends do and carried on their ways, both with a new sense of things from their hours long conversation.

AS the days turned to weeks, Jake’s perspective on his quiet never changing home had shifted. He saw that while many of his old friends had been successful and had ended up living happy life’s, that was just one form of happiness. Emily had built a beautiful life, but it was just one version of happiness. His old friends had followed a predictable script, but he had written his own story. Filled with twists and turns that in his childhood he would’ve never dreamed of.

At the farewell gathering that his friends had set up for him before his long awaited second goodbye, Jake found himself surrounded by many people who in his childhood had helped shape him to be the person who he is now. Jake was never one to wear his emotions on his sleeve, many were unable to truly tell what he was thinking even now all these years later. Some of his family and close friends had ideas but he was always able to have a melancholic look on his face. But now when he was about to leave for presumably the last time, he was joyous and exuberant.

Towards the end of the ceremony, he had his time to say goodbye to Emily, He surprised many by giving her a big hug being very careful with her child and with a smile from ear to ear said “I’m truly happy for you Em, your life is beautiful, we’ve both found happiness in our life and that’s what matters.” With that Jake said his final goodbye and got in his car and started driving off. He had come home reluctantly, faced the ghosts of his past, and rediscovered the person he had become. While many in that small town would never do what he did, he hoped that maybe one day someone would experience life as he has. For he had chosen for him a life of fulfillment and meaning, and in doing so had found the key to his genuine happiness.