Yesterday it was 23 months since I lost my beloved husband and became a widow.  Yesterday I ran into an old friend and no longer did I receive "the look." That look of tender pity was gone. The eyes that met mine no longer recognized me as the dear old friend who was limping through life like an amputee. No, time has passed and now the gaze that met mine did not react to any perceived brokenness in me.

In this two years, I've crawled, I've run. I've banged into walls and leapt over fire. I've not allowed the obstacles that life has thrown at me to become a fence. Instead, like Ben Carson advised, I've chose to hurdle them.  I learned to live with a hole in my heart. I was manipulated and lied to, thought I was in love and had my trust abused and betrayed. I dealt with income challenges, job challenges, and relationship challenges. 

23 months he has been gone; I am still here. I have survived due to the grace of God.
(Written on June 11)