Remember this? How different is my life now?

Dear Marta: One day you read “if you never chase your dreams, you’ll never catch them.” Maybe in a street wall, maybe a blog, or in a movie with a sad end that still makes you cry. I don’t remember exactly when, where, or how my mind changed in that moment, but, what matters is that words and ideas can change the world, can change me. Marta, thank you for follow your dreams, fight for what you want and is worth it, and thank you for became who I am now. As I said, I chased my dreams: I’ve been in Berlin, Italy, Paris, London… And Ireland. I fell in love with that place. Everything is so green, the air is so fresh and the water so clean. I stayed the whole last year there. But currently, I’m still living in the city I’ve lived most of my life, in a new and modern apartment, with my boyfriend and no pets. As you can see, I didn’t changed that much: dogs still scaring me nowadays and cats are bored. I have two gold fishes, if you want to call them pets. I’m on my last year of College. I’m finishing with my journalism career. Although now I’m starting to be successful, there were hard times two years ago; my dad never forgave my choice: writing over English and Spanish philology. But now, when I finish my classes, I go to one of my jobs as a journalist in the local newspaper, and is there where I feel one step closer to “catch the butterfly” that Coach Conlon told us to catch to be successful, he told us in that small, stinky locker room after practice that our goal in life should be to catch that butterfly. And I swear that I always try to look ahead in life, set goals, and reach them. Sometimes I help my dad in his English Academy, and I also do stuff in a bar. I work a lot, but it’s because I want to travel all around the world, I want to return to Italy, go to America again, and make that trip in train all around Europe that I always dreamed. Money isn’t all, but I need it to accomplish my dreams. After my work and my hour in the gym, I get home around 9, and I usually watch a movie or a TV show, I can cook something, study, or just lay down in the sofa, waiting for my boyfriend’s warm embrace to let me sleep. Last week we had a high school reunion. All of them were there, and I really mean it. Some of them didn’t change, but others are unrecognizable. Manuel and I are still being friends after six years of mutual patience, crying and everything, we are still standing here. I’m so happy for didn’t give up on him, he gave me the strength necessary to carry on in many moments of my life, and the strength necessary to see my High School boyfriend again. We dated during 5 years, 3 months and 17 days, and it was amazing. We had to broke up when I left to Ireland, he said that he was tired to wait always for me, he wanted me with him. I don’t blame him, I can’t, I travel a lot. But, that night, when I saw him, I couldn’t say anything, I was speechless. Daniel was so changed. He gained weight and he didn’t take as much care of himself as he did when we were together… Many people noticed that I was in a really good shape, they said I was pretty, and I don’t know if they really mean it because you know how fake these girls are, but I don’t care, I feel much more comfortable with myself that I did when I was in high school. It was a really good night, they also congratulated me for my job in journalism and encouraged me to get out of this country and search for adventure. So far we are still being a group, but now with completely different lives. Although all the recently, emotional experiences that I’ve had, such as the loss of my grandmother, the frequently use of the word goodbye, or the emotional changes, I’m really optimistic about my future. I’m writing a book, (this is one of my numerous tries of publish something by myself, but I have good vibrations about this) and I also sent some curriculums for jobs out of this city, out of Spain. Don’t misunderstand me, I love our city, but I’m tired of it, I want something bigger, something different, and that’s why I’m planning to work in Ireland or in the US… I’m happy, Marta, I think I’ve always pursued my dreams and I’ve gained rewards. I have plans for me and my family, you know how organized I am, and that didn’t change at all. Good things in life should never change. I miss a lot of things and people. We cannot love anything more that something we miss. Sometimes, when I play my old music I’m completely transported to my high school years, when you could just ask your parents for money, when familiar dinners were made every Sunday, and everybody was there. If I tried to do it now, half of the people would be gone. I miss the little innocence, now that there’s none left, I miss being with my friends in the streets without brother us the time, I miss them all, their embraces, the support that they gave me, their promises… And what? They were empty promises, now we are strangers that see each other less than once in a year, strangers in different parts of the world, with complete separated lives. You know how easy if for me to get attached to someone, that will never change, emotional related to another person that will leave… At the end, everybody leaves. Family, friends, strangers, and loved ones. But, no matter what I want to promise you that I will have the strength to carry on, no matter what it takes. I will publish that book, travel all around the world, go to Paris with my future husband, and put a lock in the Ponte Milvio,in Rome, o never get apart from the love of my life. I will chase my dreams, It’s a promise, I will never give up. The other night, in the reunion, when was time to go home, Daniel hold my arm and told me that he was still in love with me, he didn’t mind to wait for me anymore. I told him that I had a compromise with another man, and he told me that if I was still loving him. I didn’t answer. He asked for a date, a second chance, but I said no. He was holding my hand. I told him that I needed to go. He smiled, I guess. I said to him that he needed to catch his own butterfly. He smiled, but this time I could see the gap between his teeth, then he kissed me in the forehead and turn away saying “ I already did.” Be strong, and take care. Marta.