The Irony

A chance encounter.

A few feet apart.

The woman who gave me life, now a stranger in a checkout line.

No anger. No emotion.

Just clarity.

This episode is about what happens when you’ve already done the grieving.

When the absence shaped you more than the presence ever did.

And the quiet realization that you’ve outgrown every version of someone who was supposed to be part of your life.

What is My Inner Musings?

My Inner Musings is a space for the thoughts we often keep to ourselves.
I talk out loud about life, relationships, change, and the patterns we notice as we grow.
These are real reflections from a lived life, shared with honesty, humour, and curiosity.
Nothing is polished. Nothing is solved.
Just honest musings, spoken in real time.

Saw you yesterday. It had been years.
We crossed paths in Costco.

I had to double check. My mind wasn’t playing tricks on me.
Shared history. You gave me life.

And now we are strangers.

My heart didn’t skip a beat.
I kept moving as if I never saw you.

I ended up behind you, watching from a distance as you checked out.
The irony. You had checked out of my life.

All the milestones you missed.
You’ll never see the woman I’ve become.

Strength, courage, independence.
Forged by a path I had to pave on my own.

Watching you through the eyes of a fully grown woman.
You looked fragile. Lost.

For a moment I wondered if you’d recognize me.
I’m glad you wouldn’t have.

Because that means I’ve grown out of every version that included you.

The saddest part was putting my things in the car
and realizing I didn’t even flinch.

That hit harder than the distance between us.