My presence was her only gift

Image by Mary Long

It’s one of the universe’s strange gifts. When we’re going through hard times, it’s difficult to see the day we’ll be able to smile again. But once we get through those moments and take the time to reflect, it’s often done with a smile and nod to acknowledge what we’ve overcome.

I certainly wasn’t smiling many years ago, not during the holidays. Christmas was a time I feared, a day that reminded me of my…