I was sitting on a faded picnic blanket, slicing apples, when Maren sat down beside me. She watched Clara wobble over to her brothers.
“She has your stubbornness,” Maren said softly.
“She has your resilience,” I countered, handing Maren an apple slice.
Our fingers brushed. This time, she didn’t pull away. She let her hand rest next to mine on the checkered blanket. The Tennessee sun warmed my shoulders, and for the first time in my life, I wasn’t thinking about the next acquisition, the next quarter, or the next victory. I was exactly where I was supposed to be.
I had to burn my world down to find my soul, but as I looked at the three blond heads bobbing in the tall grass, and the fierce, beautiful woman sitting beside me, I knew I would strike the match a thousand times over.
If you want more stories like this, or if you’d like to share your thoughts about what you would have done in my situation, I’d love to hear from you. Your perspective helps these stories reach more people, so don’t be shy about commenting or sharing.
