Eric entered his hotel room after a long day of meetings. He picked up his suitcase from the floor, surprised at how heavy it was. Then he remembered that this was the first time he had lifted it. His wife had packed for this business trip. His son  had loaded the suitcase in the car. When he arrived at the airport, the stewards had taken it. Since he had an early meeting, he had the bag delivered to his hotel room.

I wonder what she packed in here. Eric thought. It weighs a ton. He opened it to find his shirts neatly pressed and folded with appropriate ties clipped to the neck. He removed and hung them in the closet. Then he saw his pants folded along the crease lines and laid carefully over so that they didn't wrinkle. After hanging them up, he returned to find his underwear and socks in one of the inside pockets.  His razor and cologne were packed in his shaving kit.

After emptying the suitcase, Eric closed and zipped it. Then he lifted it to place it on the floor in the closet. It was still heavy. What else can be in here, he thought. When he heard the sound of things hitting together, he placed the suitcase back on the bed. He unzipped one of the outside pockets and was amazed

Continuing the marriage wasn't an option for Ashley. She hadn't decided between her other options, but she knew she couldn't continue to live like this. Although she was pretty sure he was seeing someone else, he still scrutinized her every move, phone call, email, and mileage on the car. 

One day Kevin asked her to sit down because he had something to say.

It was a perfect marriage--on paper. They had both had their trials.  Kevin had been in a serious accident as a teenager which left him with some physical discomfort and lot of guilt. Ashley's first marriage had been an unwise decision, which she deeply regretted.  With no children, she left the marriage and renewed her commitment to God.

They met through mutual friends who thought they were perfect for each other. After dating for two years, they married with the blessings of family and friends. 

Kevin had grown up in a foreign country as the oldest child of missionaries. Fluent in two languages, he started a new sales position and was overwhelming successful. He purchased a house two months before the wedding, with the blessings of his soon-to-be wife.

Ashley had grown up in a strict Christian home, earned her college degree, and acquired a teaching position.  It has broken her parents hearts when she chose to marry her first husband. Now they couldn't have been more pleased with her decision.

Thus two Christians, successful in their careers, and committed to God joined their hearts and hands to start a new life together. It was a perfect marriage--until

Ryan was young, energetic and the apple of his father’s eye.  They did everything together.  Mr. Fields had grown up poor as the child of migrant workers.  The family followed the crops and Anthony Fields was forced to attend three or four different schools every year.  There were gaps in his education on graduation day, but he was determined to overcome his difficult beginning. 

The week before graduation, Anthony Fields was hired as a custodian at an engineering firm.  He started the job the Monday after graduation.  He was assigned the evening shift, working from 5:00 p.m. until the offices had been cleaned and made ready for the following workday.  On his breaks, Anthony read in the many engineering books in the different offices.

One evening, an engineering team was working late to meet a timeline for a client.  Anthony made it a point to hang around outside the conference room and listen to their conversation as much as possible.  He was surprised that he understood some of the verbiage used among the team.  Eventually one by one, the engineers began to go home, leaving Mr. Trahan alone to complete the project.

Soon Anthony heard Mr. Trahan using language, indicating frustration.  Anthony took a deep breath and entered the conference room. 

It was time to get ready for work.  Time to put on the uniform.  Time to pin on the badge.  Time to strap on the gun holster.  It was the time of day James hated the most.  He sat by the front door dreading the long hours ahead.  There had been a time when he was the one putting on the uniform, badge, and gun.  Now he spent his days sitting in his wheelchair and waiting for Christina to come home.

Arlene had been bitter most of her life. She had been mistreated and abused as a child. She had been hurt as a young adult and was never able to recover. Blaming that one incident for all her difficulties, she was an angry, bitter woman. The bitterness had destroyed any close relationship she had attempted. She had many friends, but none that she could count on in a storm. She had had a few romances in her life, but none lasted for very long. After a while they got tired of being around someone who was always upset about something and impossible to please.
Arlene had tried therapy but it seemed 

They didn't come any harder than Carlene. She looked and acted the part. As the old saying goes, she’d go bear hunting with a switch. She was afraid of nothing and no one. Her demeanor and inappropriate language told everyone, ‘back off buddy.’ And everyone did exactly that.

The day she walked her son into Mrs. Abernathy’s first grade class was a memorable one—for Mrs. Abernathy.

I live in a quiet neighborhood where we know and help each other. I was born here, went to school here, graduated, went away to college, and returned to remain in my hometown for the rest of my life. I’m not one of those people who could hardly wait to leave their home and set out into the world on their own. I was content here. I like that I know my neighbors and they know me. Oh yes, there are some drawbacks like even thinking about a clandestine meeting will have the preacher and city council on your doorstep. But for the most part, I was happy and didn't plan to leave. However, last fall things changed for me.

The phone woke me and I turned groggily to look at the clock. It said 1:13 a.m.Who would be calling me at this hour? "Hello?" I said in a daze.

Lunch was at Wanda's house this month.  The group of women, friends since college, rotated the hostess of their monthly social gathering.  They started this ritual right after graduation to maintain their close bond with one another.  Each month they met at the host house and ate a light lunch, then played cards or dominoes until time to return to their regular duties as wives and mothers. Through the years only two women had left the group.  The others looked forward to visiting together without the interference of spouses or children.  

"Lunch was delicious, Wanda."  Clarissa said.

"Yes it was.  What was the dressing in the honeydew and grape salad?"  Sherri asked.

Elizabeth had looked forward to this massage all day.  She had made the mistake of having lunch with Daphne.  Elizabeth tried to enjoy her salad, but it was difficult with Daphne's crying--again.    There had been way too many lunches with Daphne's tears over her marriage or something her husband had or had not said.  Listening to Daphne made her glad she had never married.  But right now she just wanted to enjoy her massage.

Elizabeth hadn't intended to stay single for life, it had just turned out that way.