At the risk of being tragic, with both my parents and my husband deceased, I am making plans not to be alone on grad night. Since my in-laws historically have had little time for our family, even deciding to miss their own sons funeral, our daughter’s high school graduation is no different.
As tempting as it is to attend the ceremony, and then go home and cry, I can not.
I’ve had dear friends offer to sit with me and support me of course, but in the end I decided to end where I started, and I reached out to the Wells family.
Christina Wells and I met in 2001 when I was assigned to a play group with her and her son Hayden. Paris was 22 months old, and Siena was just a few weeks old. The first meeting was at Christina’s beautiful home in Lafayette, with a terraced garden shaded by giant oak trees. Christina a gracious hostess, was also the President of the Lamorinda Moms Club, and she carried the tiny infant Siena, who we both still call, “Sissy”, around in her arms most of that first morning and many after.
Christina and I have kept in touch over the years, and she would often call me with stories of Paris and Hayden debating in history class, or news from one of the many AP classes our children shared throughout high school.
She has also been with me every step of the way through these last 10 months. As I like predictablity, we try to meet for lunch every Friday, and catch up. Christina is also, a decorator and furniture designer, and is responsible for beautifully redecorating my home over the past year.
So, now I will be joining their family with the full set of grandparents on both sides for dinner following graduation. I only hope they will not find it alarming to see me alone, and that I do not mar their happy celebration by appearing as tragic as I sometimes feel.
All I know is that although, this is my present, it will not be my future. As I approach the last months of this first year alone, and I wind down the life I created with my husband as a wife and a mother, I know that my future will be a happy one, and my life will be full of my children, grandchildren, many dear friends, meaningful work, and so much more.
And that’s a promise.
Sydney 