Best Woman

"Best Woman" is a term that originated with my youngest daughter. She used it to describe my wife who was her "best woman" at her wedding.

Sandra, my wife's cousin, was our "best woman" 42 years ago. Sandra may be a cousin but they were more like sisters. They are about six months apart in age and their respective yards abutted for years until my wife's sister built her home in between. Sandra flew in from Denver to participate in our wedding.

Sandra's husband unexpectively passed away 23 days after my wife. After a couple of weeks, I called Sandra in the early evening. From my own experience, I knew that the time after dinner alone in the house was a hard time. Sandra and I talked that evening for about 45 minutes. We also picked a day where I would drive to her home (110 miles away) and we would have lunch. I brought picture albums and two more pair of Monet clip earrings for Sandra. Marie and Sandra are the only two women I know who never pierced their ears. Sandra was delighted when I originally gave her over 30 pair. It seems that their one time "girl talk" centered on the wonderful attributes of the Monet clip earring. Sandra made a delightful soup with a Panera bread. We looked at the pictures, laughted a lot and maybe got a little weepy too. It was a delightful day and I headed back to Rhode Island hoping I brightened our "best woman's" day. I know I was glad I went.

It's going to take time, but Sandra and I will heal and she will always be Marie's "best woman".