After many years of marriage, my grandfather on my mother’s side abandoned my grandmother and his three children and left to “find” himself and figure out his life. Nearly one year later, unannounced, he returned home. He spoke with a repentant heart to my grandmother and took responsibility for his actions. He again promised his pledge of a covenant marriage to her and asked for her forgiveness.
She accepted him back and soon after they celebrated the birth of identical twin girls. The youngest baby girl was my mom, who recently passed on. My grandparents would eventually be married for more than fifty years. They traveled the world together and shared wonderful relationships with their family and many friends.
If there was an event I could have experienced in my family's history, it would have been to see my grandmother's face when her husband returned and to witness the exchange of love and forgiveness that led to my mother being born. Today is my 21st wedding anniversary, and on my right-hand ring finger resides my grandmother's wedding ring. She was a gift to my mother and me, and set an amazing example of what it looks like to carry the title of "Mrs." I hope one of my own daughters will someday wear this ring and continue the legacy of knowing what it takes to be a strong woman with the capacity to forgive.
Debby
My Amazing Grandmother