Sunshine and Shadows

                                                          May you have enough sunshine in your life

To make you appreciate the shadows

It's in my DNA

"everything's gonna be all right," was Earl Huffingham's mantra.

 "All things work together for good," was Iva Lou's.

When Cindy and I were little girls, we heard "Que, Serra, Serra”, so often that we still believe "what will be will be."

That's probably why I am often called a Pollyanna.

I was a sophomore in college and was enjoying my first Creative Writing Class. I was also the starry-eyed fiancé of Ray Parker.  The assignment was to describe how to cook an egg.  In addition to the steps, I also included the fact that I would serve what I had prepared to my golden drop of sun *

Hum -- sunshine - and then many years of shadow.

And sunshine once more through the three children that Ray and I share.

For 15 years those bundles of joy, and I were a single family of four. By1998, Becca and Renee had married, and Tray was engaged to be married the next year.

And once more sunshine! 

I married Rich Suhey. 

We had great plans - buying a house (in Mandarin), working at Vistakon, enjoying our boat.  And I was going to finish college.

And we had plans to fly to San Francisco on this day, November 20, 1998.  My parents were taking us to the airport.

They did go to JIA that day but Rich and I were not with them. They met a plane from New York.  Rich's brother Bob and his wife, Carol, had come - to Rich's funeral. 

That night - amidst the shadows - was sunshine - as many friends and loved ones came to share that love and respect for Rich (and for me).

That was 25 years ago today.

Shadows - yes -- but Sunshine. I finished college, bought a home in Mandarin, invited my parents to live with me, and cared for them until they died. I have had the opportunity to be gainfully employed in interesting and fulfilling ways.  I have many friends - including one who is the sunshine of my life.

And those three children have given me more sunshine through the 7 children that call me grandma.

A Pollyanna??? Maybe.

But for sure the result of two parents who loved their children and taught them to love God and each other and to always remember -- a shadow is the result of sunshine!

I am thankful!!!

*CLUE:  Think The Sound of Music