I always thought of my encounter with Josephine as miraculous, impossible. Something tells my fiery self that I was meant to meet her on January 1, 2015. When I flipped the calendar to a new year that day, Josephine’s expressive face peered at me, the princess of Broglie, Josephine Eleonore Marie Pauline de Galard de Brassac de Bearn. In history, she was known to be flawless. At first sight, I quite concurred with history’s judgment of her.

    “Hello,” she seemed to say. Josephine was ageless, as mysterious as the moon that colored her skin.

    “You are the small writer, am I not correct? You have much to learn. Writing requires a celestial mind, stamina and passion.” Despite her aristocratic apparel and accessories that were popular in the past, the painting on my calendar penetrated each barrier of thought in my mind.  She wore a dress of blue, a calm, pure color. Blue is the color of the ocean, of the expansive sky - a symbol of strength. Eventually, I became acquainted with Josephine, and took to speaking with her every day. I still remember the cascade of peace she sent into me then, drowning the tension and monotony that engulfed my mind during each routinely day I spent among the living.

    A raging fire burned my residence to ashes the next January. By now, I knew Josephine for a year, and another year began. As I sit now, huddled on the floor of the fire department, our terrestrial location, I think of Josephine. Her painting had burned with the house, and I never knew much concerning her background. However, she had been there, I know for certain, she made me the person that I am now. Although I miss Josephine, I remember my mentor and her lessons. It was all so long ago… And yet everything was so vivid… .

    Days, even months have sprinted past. My mentor critiqued my writing frequently, she was never blunt nor flattering. One day, the painting on my calendar summoned me.

    “I must inform you of something, child.” Quickly, I ran upstairs to the painting.

    "I have been thinking. You live in a world of comfort, as I did four hundred years ago. Despite this, you must realize that parting and pain are not as far away as you believe, or choose to believe.

    “Pain and parting are forms of education. Pain reveals the strength, spirit and beauty within you. They will come to you, and shall always be with you.” I  despised pain, though I learned to accept it due to Josephine’s admonishments. Over time,  I was no longer a weakling, though I was softened as well. Although Josephine is no longer there, her deep caches of knowledge remained in my heart, her eyes still see within me more than what others do.

    “Pain and parting are forms of education. Pain reveals the strength, spirit and beauty within me… .Thank you for pain.” I whisper hoarsely, a surging wave of blue lapping at my heart.