A careless placement and a swift movement sent my wedding rings into the space between the cupboard’s edge and the side of the stove. It’s too narrow for reaching in, too dark to see into, and the stove too heavy for me to move without help. Since I was alone at the time, I couldn’t get them back and go on my merry way. So they remain out of reach until my husband or one of my sons can work with me.

It’s now my visual for a life-altering truth: relationships like a marriage cannot be created, fostered, or repaired by an individual. Let’s hope I’m wise enough to ask for help when needed, and offer it when asked…