Ever since the death of her husband, Marci's
friends warned her not to attend festive celebrations if she wasn't ready yet. "They'll understand if you sit this one out," she was told.
But when Marci woke one morning and
remembered it was the day of her sister's birthday
party, she figured why not? Besides, they're
family. So she made a quick phone call, loaded the
rose bush she had bought for her sister into the
back of the car, and by eleven o'clock, she was
pulling out of the drive. "Well here i go," she she
said aloud. "Off to my very first social
event, alone."
Marci arrived at her sister's house an hour later.
A bouquet of bright, purple balloons greeted her
at the mailbox, followed by the aroma of charcoal
from grilled burgers in the back yard. She felt a
bit self-consious as she entered the gathering,
but she was immediately comforted by warm smiles
and was welcomed by hugs... lots of family hugs
that held her tight and reassured her she was not
alone. One cousin didn't say a word, but rocked
Marci in her arms. Finally both yielded to tears
and let them flow unchecked. And not until the
crying had ended did her cousin whisper, "Marci,
are you okay?" And Marci smiled, "oh yes,
dear. And I'm so happy I came."
friends warned her not to attend festive celebrations if she wasn't ready yet. "They'll understand if you sit this one out," she was told.
But when Marci woke one morning and
remembered it was the day of her sister's birthday
party, she figured why not? Besides, they're
family. So she made a quick phone call, loaded the
rose bush she had bought for her sister into the
back of the car, and by eleven o'clock, she was
pulling out of the drive. "Well here i go," she she
said aloud. "Off to my very first social
event, alone."
Marci arrived at her sister's house an hour later.
A bouquet of bright, purple balloons greeted her
at the mailbox, followed by the aroma of charcoal
from grilled burgers in the back yard. She felt a
bit self-consious as she entered the gathering,
but she was immediately comforted by warm smiles
and was welcomed by hugs... lots of family hugs
that held her tight and reassured her she was not
alone. One cousin didn't say a word, but rocked
Marci in her arms. Finally both yielded to tears
and let them flow unchecked. And not until the
crying had ended did her cousin whisper, "Marci,
are you okay?" And Marci smiled, "oh yes,
dear. And I'm so happy I came."
