Hearts in transit

One rainy morning on the 34, a pre-dawn trip into the still-dark heart of Coral Springs. The day was young but the hunched couple silhouetted at the bus stop were not. She was my regular on this trip, always there on time though the bus might be late. The earlier outline became real when the bus doors opened upon them, revealing a pair well-rounded by life and love. He would see her off, concerned for the safety of his woman even after so many years - or perhaps enhanced by the passage of time. One form split into two as they separated and she boarded. He disappeared into the dark sidewalk, she lit up in the low glow of the bus cabin light. We greeted each other as so many times before, her gentle eye contact exceeded only by her Mona Lisa smile. After these immediate pleasantries, I would generally be distracted by her fresh bindi, a third eye seeing only what she could see - no doubt the abundance of Life so apparent in her person.

This morning I was surprised by something new to my own vision. A glance beyond the light of her eyes exposed some skin paled by an ailment resembling vitiligo, with random patches of pigment along her arms. Had she simply been wearing long sleeves on previous days, or had I been oblivious to something obvious? What might be considered a blemish did nothing to diminish the beauty she radiated from within. In fact, it defiantly did the opposite; one particular patch on her left cheek presented a curious yet familiar gift to anyone who looked upon her: the shape of a heart.