Empowerment

Yesterday, after I left my lawyer's office and said goodbye, I was feeling shaky and sad.  I went to Central Park and sat on a bench and my friend Karen called and suggested that we meet.  

We went for a walk in the park.  She and her husband divorced a little over ten years ago, after a 25+ year marriage.  She said her divorce made her feel empowered and that the years since have been some of the best of her life.  We walked through the park for a long time and then sat on another bench.  Eventually, we ended up near Lincoln Center, having a light dinner and then walked over to Lincoln Center to listen to a band that was performing outdoors.  

It was an excellent night and I thought about these last two years and how challenging they've been.  I still care about my ex-husband, I'm not the kind of person who can flip a switch on and off.  I wish him well.  And I do feel empowered and different than the person I was a few years ago. 

I've learned so much about walking through fear, change and grief -- they weren't lessons I really wanted to learn, they were painful.  

But mostly I'm just grateful for a perfect summer night, in Central Park and Lincoln Center, with a really dear friend.