Carole was the one that would play board games with me and let me watch as she put on her makeup.

Carole was my Uncle Jack's girlfriend. As the years went on, she and Jack got married and I was invited to be in their wedding. How excited I was. I was going to be a junior bridesmaid.

I was 10 years old, none of my friends had ever been in a wedding party. I felt very special.

That feeling didn't last long though. I was hit with two very big problems. My mother became ill, she would be unable to attend the wedding, and the dress I had to wear, had a hoop and I was very afraid that I wouldn't be able to fit into the pew at church. Even if I got into the pew and sat down my dress would fly up and show my underwear, I was petrified of that dress!

I went to the wedding rehearsal and watched Carole and all the other bridesmaids, they were so excited, laughing having a great time but I didn't feel that excitement all I felt was fear. Carole sensed that something was wrong she walked over to me, sat down, looked me straight in the eye and asked me why I was so quiet?

At first I said nothing. Carole put her hand on my face to look again into my eyes. I started to cry and told her, my mother couldn't come to the wedding. I didn't want her and Jack to be mad at her. Then I blubbered about how scared I was about the hoop dress.

Caroled put her arms all around me, giving me a huge hug, whispering I know your mother won't be here in person but she will be here in spirit and we are not angry at her. She kissed me, wiped my tears and told me how wonderful my mother is. Then Carole said. That hoop dress gets everyone! We all had to learn to work it and apologized for forgetting to show me.

She listened to my little kid worries, she made me feel very important. As I look back at this memory I am forever grateful for having such a wonderful person in my life. She has instilled in me so many virtues, she has helped me learn lessons in life that I couldn't have done on my own, she guided me on the right track growing up and opened doors for me to see that there was a higher power in my life and I would never have to be a petrified 10 year old ever again.