Local Color
My life with my husband, Manuel, was a kaleidoscope of colors and shapes. Each morning I woke up with expectations, a new sense of belonging and the family I never believed existed. The whole world was bright and shining like mirrors everyday. This was foreign to me since I came from a world devoid of color, hope or freedom. We were married for thirty years before Manuel was violently killed in a Metrolink accident and my life fell dark with only varied shades of gray. It has been some years since that horrific day and I, once again, have all of the shades of the rainbow in my life along with a new purpose and passion to fill my days.

My mind returns to those dark and cloudy days, and I remember exactly what I wanted most to keep me warm and bring back sweet memories of my sweet husband. It is a beautiful bedspread he brought home to me from a trip to China. The colors were as vibrant and surprising as he was. It is shades of orange and outlined with gold. It still makes me smile when I see it and feel at peace when I am wrapped in the magic that is him. He is still with me.