One Closet Can Always Be Altered For Two

by Marie | Aug 27, 2025 | Marriage, Testimonies

In the forty years Jim and I were together, thirty-six of those were spent at our home in the county in Boyds, Maryland. My peaceful, comfortable life on our five-acre farmette came to a screeching halt with Jim’s diagnosis of pancreatic cancer. Just three weeks later, he went home to be with Jesus. It was fast and horrible. Grief tumbles surviving spouses into a myriad of directions. Some are paralyzed. Me? I got busy. Maintaining the house and property was a full-time endeavor. My initial coping mechanism made friends and family cringe. Jim never cared about his wardrobe. So, the week following his funeral, I gave all his clothes and shoes to charity. Over the next 15 months, each time I walked by his empty closet, it was an excruciating reminder of his absence. Discarding everything may have been premature. I began visiting model homes, desperately wanting to downsize. My priorities included one floor living, a gas fireplace, a garage, and a neighborhood where a landscaping service would deal with the grass. Four local communities had model homes meeting all my needs. Each had a large kitchen, breakfast nook, and a family room with a gas fireplace; slightly different, all nicely appointed. Landscaping crews mowed and mulched; my hopes soared. Wandering into one model’s master bedroom, I needed no more

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