Returning to Reality

I woke up this morning and felt Heather’s body lightly pressing against mine and I put my arm around her and softly felt for her smooth skin. Unfortunately, instead of her smooth skin I felt only more cloth and eventually discovered that it wasn’t Heather at all, but instead my pillow.
 
I couldn’t help but laugh at the absurd sappiness of that and, really, that’s what the last 24 hours have been comprised of – realizing that she really isn’t by my side anymore. It’s an odd shift to just go from seeing someone constantly to not seeing them at all. It really does carry a dreamlike aura. I feel as if I’ve just awoken and discovered that the world I was just experiencing doesn’t exist anymore. It makes me question if it really happened at all.
 
I’ll admit, I’m failing a little at the only being happy that she came and not sad that she’s gone bit. I am a little sad. But I’d much rather be sad over temporarily losing happiness than just not experiencing it at all.
 
All the same, life goes on and reality sets back in. I was careless in attaining my university permit and I may end up having to take a shuttle to UGA when I’m on campus. School itself and the vast quantities of time it consumes looms large in the not so distant future. But, while this return to reality isn’t exactly welcome, I’m still glad that within this same reality somewhere is the past week that I enjoyed so much.