We spent the afternoon talking about the wedding. I told her I wanted a relaxed celebration filled with music, laughter, photographs, and the people I loved.
I wanted to remember the day with happiness, not spend it worrying about whether other people thought my choices were sensible.
As we talked, I realized how much my understanding of confidence had changed over the years.
Being confident at seventy-two doesn’t mean trying to resemble the woman I was at twenty-two. It means appreciating the person I have become.
My past will always be part of me. My previous marriages, the challenges I faced, the children I raised, and the lessons I learned all helped shape the woman sitting at that kitchen table.
I don’t regret those chapters, even the painful ones. They brought me to a point in life where I could recognize a healthy relationship and appreciate the happiness it offered.
