Set...

by Marsha Ward

Christmas is over, though the afterglow remains with us. I hope you all had a chance to be with your loved ones.

Our team is gathering, and on December 31, I will begin the dance.

Hmmm, why did I choose that word picture?

Perhaps it's because I've been spending time with family members, sharing joy and sorrow equally. Family time doesn't always mean smiles and hugs. Sometimes raw emotions come to the surface. I don't know why that happens at holidays, but the older I get, the more I notice it. I think I've missed my husband this year more than I've cared to admit, on this eighth Christmas that I've spent without him. Misfortunes that other family members are going through have added to the poignant air of this holiday.

I've attended a lot of dances, and the emotions of young girls at those gatherings are so conflicting: joy when a certain young man asks her to grace the floor with him, grief when he doesn't.

This life we experience is much like a dance, I suppose. Our emotions ebb and flow. Our experiences are varied. Sometimes we're light on our feet; sometimes we stumble and fall flat on our faces, with all our friends watching.

Come back on December 31 and share our adventures as we talk about Life, The Universe, and how we 14 writers fit into it all.