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Dee unlocked the door to go on her morning walk to the park. As she opened the door, she felt the slight breeze rustle through her hair. “I’d better grab a jacket”, she said to the empty house.  It had been 6 months since Carl died and she couldn’t seem to find a routine that felt right. She and Carl were married when she was a mere 18 and he was 20.  Now 44 years later at 62 she was a widow. Carl had bent over, in the driveway, to pick up the local paper one morning and fell over, face forward. Dee had been inside making toast and coffee and wondered where he was. She remembers feeling a tad irritated, thinking he got distracted pulling weeds or something.  When she went outside to tell him the toast was ready, she saw him lying there, motionless.  She ran to him and knew right away that he was gone. Still, she called 911. She later learned that he had died from a ruptured aneurysm in his brain. There was no way they could have known he had this; aneurysms can be symptomless until it’s too late. 

Dee had gone through all the motions during the funeral, processing the paperwork, and accepting food and condolences from church friends and neighbors. Her daughter had stayed for a few weeks but had to return home to her family. She felt like a robot performing the necessary actions. She and Carl had talked about their death and their funeral arrangements. They had done a Trust with all the power of attorney documents to keep their estate out of probate. Carl had created a binder with his passwords to various financial accounts and his checking account. They had joint accounts, but each had their own small checking to use for discretionary purchases. Dee felt blessed that Carl had been so thoughtful as to prepare for her in case he went before her, but she wasn’t prepared for it to happen so soon. She thought they would both live into their eighties. Now, 6 months later, she was walking out the door to go to the local park, take a walk, and sit at the bench she and Carl used to so many summer nights. It gave her peace to be where she and Carl shared so many conversations.

As Dee walked her second lap around the park, she noticed a young mother pushing a stroller. It struck her because it was only 6:30 in the morning, barely light. She was usually one of a few other people in the park and they were either older than her or young joggers. Something about the way the mother carried herself looked burdened, maybe it was the way her shoulders were slumped over, or the way she kind of rocked the stroller as she walked. As they passed each other, their eyes met and Dee could see the dark circles and the vacant look in the woman’s eyes. Dee smiled and nodded hello. As Dee finished her 3^rd lap and came up to the bench, she saw the young woman.

“Hello,” Dee said as she sat at the opposite end of the bench. “Hi,” the woman replied, her eyes fixed on the baby in the stroller. “How old is your baby?” Dee asked. “She’ll be five months tomorrow,” the woman said. “I’m Dee. What’s your name—and your baby’s?”

“I’m Emma, and her name is Jewel. “Just then, Jewel began to cry. Emma released a soft sigh, her shoulders sagging as though they were carrying the weight of the world. “Are you okay?” Dee asked gently. Then she added quickly, “I’m sorry—I shouldn’t have asked that. You’re a new mother and probably exhausted.” “It’s okay,” Emma said. “Honestly, it’s nice to talk to someone this early in the morning. My husband travels a lot, and Jewel cries all the time. They keep telling us she’ll grow out of it—that it’s just colic and should resolve by six months—but I can’t bear another month of this.” She paused, her voice wavering. “We moved here for my husband’s job, and I don’t know anyone. I haven’t been able to make friends because I’m not working right now, and Jewel cries constantly. I don’t even want to take her into social situations.” After blurting all of that out, Emma’s eyes filled with tears.

“I’m so sorry,” she said quickly. “I shouldn’t have unloaded on you like that. This isn’t your concern—you were just being polite. I’ll grab Jewel and leave you alone.” Dee placed her hand gently on Emma’s arm and looked into her eyes. “Please,” she said softly, “may I hold Jewel?”

After 10 minutes had passed, Jewel was asleep in Dee’s arms. “How did you do that?” Emma inquired. “Well, I haven’t been around a crying baby in many years. My husband and I only had 1 child, she is 42 with a 12-year-old daughter of her own. Fortunately for her, she found a wonderful husband. Unfortunately for me, after they were married, she moved with him to his home in Australia, so I don’t see them more than once a year.  So, it has been a long time since I’ve held little colicky babies, and believe me, my daughter was one of them.  “She was?” Emma asked incredulously. “How did you handle it?”  Dee told Emma that she was fortunate enough to have her parents and in-laws around when she was a young mother, so she was able to get lots of breaks.

The two women talked for over an hour with minimal crying episodes from Jewel. Dee learned that Jewel was her grandmother’s name and she liked the old-fashioned ring to it. Emma was from North Dakota, so moving to North Carolina was a long way from home. Her own mother passed when she was a teenager and her relationship with her father was estranged due to his alcoholism.  Emma’s husband, Tim, traveled with his job as a management consultant.  Tim would help with Jewel when he was home, but because he was working towards a promotion, he was gone much more than he was home. He promised his travel would be cut in half once the promotion came but, in the meantime, Emma was spent.  Dee told Emma about Carl and said her church friends helped her get through it.   Dee had a thought once Emma was done talking.

Dee looked over at Emma, her expression gentle and sincere. “Emma, would you be open to meeting in the mornings and walking together?” she asked. “I think it would be wonderful to get to know you better. Since my husband passed away, my days have felt so repetitive and empty. I have many friends at church who have supported me, but I haven’t been able to settle into a new routine. Some days, it feels as if I’m just drifting through life, without much direction. I can’t tell you how good it has been talking with you and thinking that maybe I could be a bright spot in yours and Jewels Day.” Emma hugged Dee so tightly, she thought she’d quit breathing. “I’ll take that as a yes” said Dee as they both laughed until they cried.

That was over 6 months ago. Dee reflected on how she, Emma, and Jewel still meet most mornings and the fact that Emma introduced Dee to Tim and the three get along swimmingly. Dee has watched Jewel a few times so the young couple could have date nights, and she brought them to church where they have been able to meet several couples their age. Emma has joined a small group and has made many friends.

Dee had to admit it was pure joy when Jewel finally grew out of her colicky stage. It happened just a week before her seven‑month birthday, and ever since, she had been a bundle of laughter. Emma often said she didn’t know how she would have managed without Dee, but as Dee reflected on it, she realized she was the one who had received a gift that fateful morning in the park.

Meeting Emma and Jewel had given her purpose again—a sense of structure she hadn’t even realized she was missing. She had needed something to pull her out of her grief‑stricken fog, and this had been the very thing to do it. Yes, she was still grieving Carl and knew she would until the day she passed on to meet her Maker. But she found comfort in knowing that she and Carl had shared their faith in Christ, and she believed wholeheartedly that she would see him again someday.

Looking back, Dee knew with certainty that God’s hand had orchestrated that divine appointment months earlier. She needed purpose, and Emma needed help. In His perfect timing, they each received exactly what they needed. The park bench, once a place of joy-turned-to-sorrow and memories, had become a place of renewal.