Sometimes, life has a way of making you feel like you’re floating aimlessly in space. If you’ve ever experienced heartbreak, you know exactly what I mean. That gut-wrenching, all-consuming loneliness can leave you untethered, like a ship drifting far from the coordinates of where you thought you’d be. That’s the journey Elliot Shaw faces in my short story Melting in Space. Elliot’s heartache leads him to lose more than just his sense of purpose; he loses himself entirely.
I’d like to think my story could have ended up like his—lost and adrift—but thankfully, it didn’t. I found my way back to Earth. Today, I want to share both Elliot’s cautionary tale and my personal story of heartbreak, resilience, and finding love again.
My Story of Love and Heartache
I met my wife, Deneen Graham, when we were just teenagers. I was 18, and she was 14. Our love story unfolded slowly over the years, deepening when we both ended up at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts. We dated for ten years, dreaming about a future together. But then, life intervened.
When I got the opportunity to move to Los Angeles to chase my dream of writing for film and television, I jumped at it. Deneen never joined me, and we tried the long-distance thing. It didn’t work. I didn’t want to break up, but it was inevitable. I remember calling my older brother one night, crying on the phone, consumed by the loss. For years, every time I visited Atlanta, I tried to win her back, but nothing worked. Eventually, I stopped trying. I didn’t stop loving her, but I stopped bugging her.
Years later, I sent her a birthday card. It wasn’t a grand gesture—I just signed my name and sent it off to her old address, hoping it might somehow reach her. By some miracle, it did. On her birthday. She called me, and I jumped on a plane to Atlanta. As I write this blog we’ve been married for 19 years.
Surviving Heartbreak Without Drifting Too Far
Not everyone’s story ends with a perfect reunion, but that doesn’t mean you have to drift aimlessly after heartbreak. During my twelve lonely years in Los Angeles, I learned some valuable lessons that helped me stay grounded. Here are a few tips for surviving heartbreak and keeping your navigational coordinates in check:
After Deneen and I broke up, I leaned heavily on my friendships. I played on three softball teams at one point, went to movies in groups, and spent countless nights out to dinner with friends. The movie Swingers perfectly captures what my life was like in L.A. in the 90s—a mix of camaraderie, hope, and misadventures. Later, as my career took off, my life mirrored Entourage in many ways, filled with exciting opportunities and loyal friends who kept me grounded.
Friendships are your tether to reality. They remind you that you’re not alone, even when your heart feels like it’s shattered.
During those years, I immersed myself in activities that brought me joy. One of my greatest passions was recording song demos. I invested in recording gear and turned my bedroom apartment into a little studio. I’d stay up all night pretending I was Prince—writing the music and lyrics, playing all the instruments, and recording it all on my own. It gave me a sense of purpose and kept me creatively fulfilled when my personal life felt empty.
Softball, music, and creativity became my outlets for stress and frustration, giving me a way to channel my emotions into something positive. Whether it’s sports, writing, painting, or learning something new, find an activity that keeps your mind and body engaged.
Heartbreak can cloud your judgment. I made my share of mistakes. I can’t tell you how many times I listened to Peabo Bryson’s song “A Fool Already Knows.” Later, I moved on to listening to the live version of “Back Together” by Roberta Flack and Peabo Bryson every night before I’d fall asleep. I misread several platonic friendships as potential romantic relationships, only to be gracefully turned down. At first, I felt embarrassed, but looking back, I’m grateful for the kindness those friends showed me. It’s okay to make mistakes—they’re part of the healing process.
Time worked in my favor. As the years went by, I became more mature. I developed a better understanding of what I wanted out of life besides to be loved. And, things started happening for me in my career. Healing doesn’t happen overnight, but it does happen. Sometimes, all you can do is put one foot in front of the other, even if you’re not sure where the path will lead. The important thing is to keep moving.
It’s tempting to retreat into yourself after a breakup, especially in today’s world of social media and dating apps. But isolation can be dangerous. Like Elliot Shaw in Melting in Space, if you drift too far from reality, you risk losing touch with what matters most. Stay connected to the world around you, even if it feels painful at first.
Finding Your Way Back to Earth
Heartbreak can feel like the end of the world, but it’s not. It’s a season, a moment in time. If I’d isolated myself completely after losing Deneen, I might never have found my way back to her—or to myself. Instead, I leaned on my friends, pursued my passions, and stayed open to the possibility of love, even when it felt impossible.
Elliot Shaw’s story in Melting in Space is a cautionary tale about what can happen if you let heartbreak consume you. But your story doesn’t have to end that way. Stay connected to the world, surround yourself with people who care, and remember that even the darkest moments can eventually give way to light.
If you’re navigating heartbreak, take it one step at a time. Don’t let yourself drift too far. And who knows? You might just find your way back to Earth—and to love—sooner than you think.
Visit gregkerns.tv to read Melting in Space and see how Elliot’s journey unfolds.