She had a toothache and didn't feel like socializing so she almost stayed home. But her friend coaxed her into keeping her company just for a little while.
That was the night she met my father.
Eighteen years later, my dad would end his life and our story would fracture in ways none of us could have imagined.
And yet, when I asked my mother if she would change anything, if she would undo that night knowing how it would end, she said no. Not for a second.
Because loving him, building a family together, having me, and living those 18 years together was worth it.
Just a reminder that grief doesn't erase gratitude, pain doesn't cancel love, and tragedy doesn't invalidate joy.
So this Valentine’s Day, I’m thinking about the dance she almost didn’t attend and how one reluctant “yes” can change an entire lifetime.
Love is still worth it in the end. Even when it breaks you.