Don’t tell her they said, she’s too young. But I saw in the looks of their faces that the news wasn’t good. She came in having wept, he came in emotionless, as is his way. They sat and looked out the window. I wanted to trust. I was supposed to be able to trust. But when I asked, that almost imperceptible hesitation gave her away. It was cancer. I caught his gaze, as overcast as the skies outside. When I turned, it had started to snow. At least I could trust that.

Decades ago, a young couple starting their first traditions bought a simple set of ornaments from Sears. Those ornaments were the type that today sell at drug stores for pennies, are made cheaply and are not meant to last. This year, as I opened the last box from a long move, there it was. A bit worn, a bit faded, a bit yellowed and lacking in luster. But, there was no doubt. This worn out soul had inherited a worn out ornament. Somehow, it seems like new.