I am never far from my phone. Several years ago, my mother had a stroke, which jarred me into the reality of my parents' vulnerability.

Even though I try to live with a sense of urgency about relationships, there was a part of me that just could not, before then, conceive of my mom and dad as finite. After Mom's stroke and subsequent brain surgery, I kept my phone beside my bed where I could hear it if anyone called or texted me in the night. Soon, my kids started leaving the nest, and I never wanted to miss any of them in any possible situation where they might need my help.

It was the third week of June, and I was on a dream vacation my true love planned for us in Antigua. Other than when each of my children was born, the happiest moment of my life happened there on a sliver of pristine beach when that unspeakably exquisite human being took my hands in his, knelt on one knee, and asked me to be his wife. I squealed yes and pulled him to his feet, and we hugged under the stars.

As if the universe was celebrating with us, the water lit up with four separate bursts of blue light, like fireworks. I know about bioluminescent plankton. But this wasn't that. This was some kind of fishy firefly creature I haven't yet Googled, so I don't know what to call it. Like some ancient human witnessing another miracle of creation, I'll just call it God. God's blessing. That's what David Johnson is to me.

I floated........

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