“The lesson of Good Friday is to never lose hope — or at least give it the weekend.”~ Robert Brault

I love that quote from Robert Brault. Boiled down bits of wisdom like that are so nourishing to the soul.

So I woke up in the middle of the night and stayed awake for a while. Once I went back to sleep, it was almost 10:30 when I woke up again. I could hear the painter working out on the deck. I couldn’t see him because all of the drapes were closed.

I had breakfast and got dressed. I popped in at the grocery for a loaf of bread and then drove to the bookstore. I am out of crossword puzzle books.

Once in there, I found several that I wanted. The checkout line was enormous and there was only one person working. Luckily for me, a woman said they would check you out in the coffee shop if you were in a hurry.

So I did that. Of course, I ordered a cafe au lait and a luscious brownie to go. I shared them with Rob, who is having bad back spasms this week.

Now I am facing a holiday weekend and I never do those well. Time drags. When Rob was a toddler, my mother took him to the Grotto at Memphis Memorial Park. That is where our family is buried.

One day I looked out in the backyard and saw Rob, about four years old, walking slowly across the yard carrying an improvised cross on his back, a la Jesus! He was a very creative child, always improvising hockey outfits or other sports uniforms. But this was amazing! He not only found something in the garage to make the cross from, his solemnity in carrying it was awesome.

Little did I know he could have been being prescient about his future and the griefs he would have to bear. Today our life appears to be normal. It isn’t. It is filled with emptiness and sorrow the likes of which most families know nothing about. It can’t be changed; it must be somehow acknowledged. I do this by way of my daily writing.

I thank those of you who donate to the site. It is a labor of love. Happy Easter. The Resurrection is available to all of us moment by moment.

Vicki Woodyard
(The photo of me was taken by Rob by our family gravesite. I am leaning against one of their huge trees.)