Personal Narrative: My Journey To Miami

One of the oldest questions in philosophy is whether humans have free will. When I look in retrospective, my journey to Miami makes me wonder is everything predetermined. Ever since I was a kid, I had vivid dreams about a sunny beach, soft golden sand, palm’s waterfall, and beautiful girl who will love me unconditionally. The tale started on one gray and rainy May day in my hometown. My original plan to move to Moscow fell apart because Russian government didn’t issue permits to a company I was supposed to work for. Hidden in the room, I felt depression and pity for my unlucky fate. Next moment, my aunt Maria, a bank manager which had an obsession with traveling, entered the room saying ‘’ you are going to the United States; I played the green card lottery, and you won.” Immediately my body went into a state of shock; I only stammered “impossible”. Fast forward a few months, Lufthansa’s Airbus A380 was getting
ready to land at Miami International Airport. The sole person I knew in the USA, my army comrade Sergio patiently waited. His real-estate and fitness businesses were doing really well, and he was happy to see me after a long time and to help me embark on my new life in the Magic City. As the exit door of the airport opened, an explosion of heat pushed me back indoors. For the first time in my lifetime, I encountered humidity in tropical climate. After few seconds, somehow I gathered myself; suddenly, a voice said, “Dreams do come true, Don’t they?” Sergio, with a big grin on his face, opened the back door of a brand new of white cabriolet. While crossing the Biscayne Bay, I became lost in a spectrum of pastel colors, almost like I’m inside of an impressionist masterpiece painting. Asking myself “Is this reality or an illusion?” The next second, Sergio’s voice woke me up from my daydreaming ‘’we are going to double date tonight, the girl who I met on Tinder is bringing sister. I need your help my friend”. “Are you lost your mind? I’ve hardly arrived, no way I’m going to some blind date’’ I objected. Social media phenomenon is subject I didn’t want any interest in, but he obligated me as he said, “Remember, when I saved you in that Kosovo trench, you owe me this one.” My persistent objections and complaints, however, didn’t have any effect on him. In a few hours, we were sitting in a traditional Japanese restaurant (low ceiling and tight seating) in Miami Beach.
Our blind date was late for 45 minutes; I started to get angry and annoyed, so I said ‘’ I knew it; this is why I hate online dating. I am leaving this stupidity.” In the same instant, she walked in, and the time stopped. It was the girl of my dreams, with big hazel eyes piercing through my soul. With her glowing skin, modest elegance and discrete makeup, she had style and glamour of classic Hollywood beauty. Simple five word ‘’ Hi, my name is Johana” made me feel as I know her for decades. In contradiction, Sergio and her sister Andrea left us almost immediately, as they didn’t have any mutual connection. The hours slipped by like seconds; we kept talking about countless subjects, oblivious of our surroundings; it turned out that we are like long lost twins reunited again. As we liked the same book (“The Forth Agreement”), food, sports, and even held the identical views on morality and
ethics. Next time when I opened my eyes, it was already 6 AM and the first yellow rays of sun begun rising from the earth. Right in front of me, they filled the darkness with fiery crimson and carmine pink colors. Johana had laid her head upon my shoulder as she gazed deep into the skyline. On the spur of the moment, I realized that every step I reached in my life has led me to this moment, to this symphony of the universe for our eyes. One year has passed, and each time when I see Johana’s smile I’m back in a second of my first Miami sunrise. A juncture that gave me a reason and changed my life forever.