Don’t worry…be happy. There have been times in my life when it was difficult to believe I would…or COULD…ever be happy again. Divorce was painful and made me sad. It was a terrible struggle complicate by rejection. Mr. Virgo’s death was worse. Unless you have experienced the loss of someone so close, no words I can ever write will make you really understand. I don’t remember much of the first year. I’m so glad I blogged through it so I can look back to see my progress. Eventually though, I made it through to the other side. Changed certainly, but not all in a bad way. I find when I meet new people now, I am so much more “present” than I was before. I have opened up more, which surprises me. I was afraid I would stay hiding in the corner of my pain forever and miss out on life’s joyous moments.

Tonight was one of those wonderful nights you want to remember. One of my FB friends who lives in my hometown had a dinner party at her house and invited several of her friends to meet me. We met in person for the first time the night I drove into Parkersburg with my trailer three weeks ago and she let me park in her driveway. This is a diverse group of women and I thoroughly enjoyed meeting them. There was a nurse who works with children with developmental disabilities. There was a park ranger, a business owner, a woman who works for the government, a retiree, and a woman who co-owns a business making organic compost and raising worms. We are a mixture of divorced and widowed…middle aged and beyond. We share a common interest in outdoor activities. They bike and kayak so I’m going to be learning new skills!

Happiness was elusive. Now that it has returned, I appreciate it so much more. <3