It was always my classmate who demanded attention. Her life appeared to be straight out of a fairy tale after she married a millionaire. She traveled the world, seeing far-flung locales and going to lavish parties.
She donned dazzling jewels everywhere she went and led a life that many people could only imagine.
She appeared to have it all, from the glittering lights of Paris to the lovely canals of Venice. She never did, however, seem to fully grasp how beautiful her surroundings were.
She was wealthy, yet she never seemed happy. She would brag about the locations she had been to, but her tales were never very convincing.
Although I recall seeing her in Venice, she didn’t appear to be enthralled by the city’s allure. The Eiffel Tower in Paris did not arouse any enthusiasm.
Although I was unable to identify it at the time, it was clear that something was lacking from her life.
I reconnected with her in a modest resort five years later. She was almost unrecognizable. The woman who had been radiant and self-assured had utterly altered.
She had the appearance of a timid mouse, little and frail. She slouched, and I saw a grief in her eyes that I had never seen before.
It was unbelievable to me that this was the same woman who had led a lavish and self-assured life in the past.
The reality about her story came to light as we conversed. She had been with a millionaire, yes, but they hadn’t gotten married. When the love waned, the guy she had trusted just walked away, despite his promises to give her everything.
She had little to show for the years she had spent pursuing an exciting and opulent life, leaving her devastated and alone. She had to deal with the terrible results of her decisions after her formerly colorful life had fallen apart.
