A family of the heart is the one who doesn’t have to love you because forces greater than themselves made it so.
They choose to love you. They don’t see you as a burden but as a treasure. A family of the heart recognizes your
value as a human being and allows you to live your truths without judgment.
~*~
Why are you wearing that floral horror?” Carmen cast a sharp eye on Lo’s dress.
“Don’t mock the dress. It’s not for you,” Lo huffed. “It’s for the Dunhills.”
“Oh no. The people with that little barfy baby?”
“Yep.” Lo smoothed the dress over her hips, then pulled her hair back tightly and tied it. “The flowers will hide any puke. I have a court appearance with them today, so I may have to hold her for a bit. Solid colors are off the fashion menu.”
“I don’t know how you do it, my beauty.” Carmen shook her head. “Barfing babies are a hard limit for me.”
“Oh, Ma’am,” Lo tittered. “It’s not that bad, really.”
Lo was a Social Worker. Poverty, addictions, screaming spouses, neglected children, all the sorrows of life were her job to mediate and repair. With her heart-shaped face and caring brown eyes, Lo carried her burdens with a calm dignity that gave comfort to all she met. Carmen admired her patience and forbearance, her ability to stand up to challenges that others avoided, and her quiet determination to make a positive change in the lives...