“It’s beautiful out

here.”

 

I look

up

at Pawpaw

“What do ya mean?”

 

Pawpaw looks

down

at me.

“Look at da snow.

It’s beautiful.”

 

There is no snow.

It’s just a

warm

november

night.

 

I laugh.

“There ain’t no snow,

silly.”

 

“Oh, but there is.

It’s Christmas.”

 

Silence

 

“No. Pawpaw, it’s

November.”

I try to

smile,

but I’m

worried-

scared.

 

“You ain’t lookin

wit’ yo’

heart, child.”

He looks at me,

Hurt

in his eyes.

“Ev’rybody is telling me that

I’m Crazy.

But I’m seein’

betta

than anyone else.

See with me.”

 

Pawpaw had something

wrong

with his brain.

Mama told her to be

careful.

 

I squint into the sky.

“I think,”

I sneak a peek at Pawpaw.

“I think I

see

the snow.”

 

“Beautiful ain’t it?”

A smile

s   p   r   e   a   d

across his face.

 

A tear formed in my

eye.

“It’s the most

Beautiful

thing in the world.”

 

“Thank you, child.

Thank you for

seeing

with your

Heart.”

 

Pawpaw died

the following January.

He died seeing with his

Heart.

It’s 10 years

later

And she’s trying to

decide

what to do with her

life.

 

“I wanna write, Mama.

I wanna write about the

Things

In my

Heart.”

I try to explain why I’m

pursuing

creative writing

in college.

 

“But why, honey?

There’s so many more

stable

jobs to study for.

I know you

love

To write, to feel what

isn’t

there. But choose a job more

Real.”

 

Mama only wants what’s best.

 

“But, mama,

I wanna live

with my

Heart.

I wanna

see

with my

Heart

as I

write.

I want my

imagination

To be

Real.”

 

Silence

 

“Alright, honey.” She said.

Telling me

whatever

I wanted to hear.