Healing Begins With A Hug

Healing is the power to heal one's heart from unimaginable pain. Healing is the power to forgive and be forgiven. Healing is the power of love and it all begins with a hug.

My family has been in a state of civil war for decades and the problem is no one knows why it all began, but we do know where it all began. This decades old rift began with my grandmother Julie and someone name Cindy.

Over the years I asked my mother "Why grandma looks so sad?" My mother didn't answer. So, I went to my grandfather and I pleaded with him to tell me, he did in one word, Cindy.

As you can imagine I was confused. Who is Cindy? But that is all he gave me. So, I went in search of the truth. I went to my grandparent's house on a day I knew they wouldn't be home. I snuck into their house and went to the attic where my grandmother keeps her treasures.

I'm in the attic, I spot the treasure chest. I open it and begin to look through it. I take out a stake of old pictures. Look at my grandmother, she looks so beautiful. I turn the picture around the date is 1954.

I look through more of the pictures, all of them of my grandmother until I come upon the last picture. In the last picture I see my grandmother and an unknown woman. Could this be Cindy?

I look through the treasure chest some more, but I don't find anything else expect torn up paper. Why would my grandmother do something like this? I take the picture and the torn paper and leave.

A long buried family rift is going to be revealed. This family deserves to be whole again and my grandmother needs to heal. This is going to end. Everyone in the family will feel so much better when this rift ends.

It's late in the night, my parents are sleeping and without them knowing I begin to piece the torn papers back together. Little by little a story is beginning to emerge. What I am seeing is the beginning of a letter written by Cindy. It reads.

"My dear sister

I wish so very much for you to answer my letters. This is the sixth and finally letter I will write to you. After this letter you will never hear from me again. I want my last words to you from me to say I'm sorry for all the pain I caused you. I will always love you. I will always miss you. I will always remember you and goodbye forever."

Oh my God! This Cindy person is my great aunt. Something bad must have happened to cause so much pain. But why couldn't my grandmother forgive Cindy? What could Cindy have done to my grandmother to cause so much pain? I have to find out. Tomorrow is a new day and my search for Cindy will begin.

It's bright and early the next morning. I look at the clock, its 10 am. I get up from my bed and go take a shower. Ten minutes later I'm all done. I get out of the shower and get dress. I leave my hair wet and head downstairs for breakfast. I check for my parents. Good they are not home. I grab a bowl, pour the cereal and sit down.

How do I begin my search for Cindy? I just need her last name. Her last name has to be the same as my grandmother's maiden name. What if she's married? I have to take my chances and start with the last name Evans, year 1954.

I leave my house carrying the photo and the letter and head to the library. The library has good sources of information so that's where I will start. I will have to be extremely careful in my search.

The library is up ahead in the next corner. I look at the picture once again and can't imagine how two sisters can go this long without speaking to each other. I know I can't go one day without talking to my sister. I love Gracie with all my heart. Maybe if I can find Cindy, I can heal my grandmother's heart and she won't be so sad anymore. Maybe my grandmother can find it in her heart to forgive Cindy and our family can be whole again.

I enter the library and head to the back where the old records of the town are held. Hopefully I can find something. My search begins in the 1950's records.

An hour later and I found nothing. Mrs. Burke the librarian asks me what I am doing? I tell her I'm try to find my grandmother's sister Cindy. I show her the picture, her face goes completely white. Mrs. Burke tells me to follow her and I do.

We go into mrs. Burke's office. She tells me to sit down. I ask Mrs. Burke if she's okay. She nods. Then what she tells me next blows my mind.

"Sasha, my dear Sasha. I knew this day would come, the day you would find out the truth and here is the truth. Me, your grandmother and Cindy were best friends. We did everything together, went shopping, the drive-in, vacations even worked at the same job. Then one day it all changed. I believe the date was July 11th 1954. it was girl's night, which we did every Saturday. I went to your grandmother's and Cindy's house and I saw them fighting. Your grandmother was very angry. Cindy was trying to get her to listen but your grandmother was too stubborn to listen. She kicked Cindy out. I didn't understand why. I try to talk to your grandmother. I couldn't get through to her. So, I went to find Cindy. I found her at the train station. I asked her what happened? With tears in her eyes Cindy told me she got her dream job, dancing on Broadway. Cindy told me her sister didn't approve. Your grandmother wanted Cindy to stay home, help look after their mother and get married. But Cindy was a dreamer, so full of life. She gave so much too so many people. Cindy's stage name was Harlie James. She was absolutely the most amazing dancer. She was successful in everything she did and it hurt me that her own sister doesn't want to see Cindy or forgive her. You know the truth there was nothing to forgive. Cindy did what she love to do do and that was dance."

Oh my God! my great aunt is the famous dancer Harlie James. This is incredible. I don't understand why my grandmother acted this way for so many years. If Gracie loves dancing, I would support her no matter what. I ask Mrs. Burke if she knows where Cindy is? Mrs. Burke nods and tells me to go to the park.

I get up and leave Mrs. Burke's office and the library and head to the park.I find a bench and sit down. I'm still processing everything Mrs. Burke told me.

"Hello Sasha."

I turn around and see Cindy. The woman from the picture is still as beautiful as ever. I smile and say hello.

" I hear you are looking for me."

I nod and tell Cindy I want to heal this family and make this family whole. Cindy smiles at me and tells me she wants that more than anything. We sit down and talk about a lot of things. Half an hour later I tell Cindy I have to get home.

Cindy gives me her phone number and I give her mine. We hug before I leave I tell Cindy I'm glad I got to meet her. She smiles. We part ways. Now I have to find a way to convince my grandmother to meet Cindy.

I arrive back at my house late in the evening. I see my grandfather waiting for me. I say hello to him, he tells me to sit down. I already know what he's going to say to me. Before he speaks, I tell my grandfather "Its time grandmother fixies her relationship with Cindy. This rift has got to end."

My grandfather grabs my hand and asks me "How do we do this?" I smile and hug him.

Me and my grandfather spend the rest of the evening discussing ideas of how to get ny grandmother to meet Cindy and we've come up with the best idea. My grandmother's birthday is the day after tomorrow, that's when I'm going to give her the greatest gift of all, Healing.

Tomorrow me and my grandfather will tell the rest of the family our plan to end the rift. I hope they are on board. I get up early the next morning to prepare for my family's arrival. I sent messages to my aunt Lucy and uncle Mike and told them to come to my house at 11 am. I didn't tell them the reason why. Right, now I'm finished getting ready and head downstairs.

I find my parents waiting for me. My mom has a suspicious look on her face. I ask her "You know" My mother nods. She surprises me by saying "It's about time." I smile and tell my parents the plan.

My parents tell me it's a good plan. At exactly 11 am my aunt Lucy and uncle Mike arrive with their families. My grandfather arrives moments later. We all sit in the living room. I tell my family what I've ben doing.

I tell them all about meeting Cindy. Mrs. Burke telling me all about the rift and how Cindy wants to patch things up. Then I tell them about the plan.

The plan is to have my grandmother's birthday at the park, a surprise party, the surprise being Cindy. aunt Lucy and uncle Mike agree.

Today is my grandmother's birthday. My family and myself are at the park. I just received a message from Cindy. She tells me she's at the park with her family. Good everybody is here. Now we are waiting for my grandmother to arrive. Five minutes later I see my grandparents arriving.

I message Cindy and tell her my grandmother is here. I look at my grandfather and nod. My grandmother has the biggest smile on her face seeing all of us here. We yell happy birthday. I go to my grandmother wish her a happy birthday and tell her I have one more surprise.

I grab my grandmother's hand and tell her to close her eyes. The whole family sees Cindy coming with her family. We wave to each other. I position Cindy in front of my grandmother. I tell my grandmother to open her eyes.

My grandmother opens her eyes and shock doesn't even come close to how she looks. My grandmother begins to cry. She falls to the ground. Cindy grabs my grandmother and hugs her.

"I'm so, so, so sorry baby girl. I love you."

"I love you too sis."

"I saw you dancing and I knew how wrong I was to cut you out of my life."

"We both said things to each other that we regret. What matters now is we are here right now together with our families, so let's make this time count."

"We will make every day count."

It's true and I saw it with my own eyes Healing begins with a hug.