The Perfect Prom Dress

This is not a story about my prom dress.

I was 16 years old and had been bugging my ma to bring me shopping for a prom dress. At her repeated refusal, I finally burst into tears and stormed off. My heart ached and my disappointment turned to anger. Puzzled, my ma asked me, “Why is this so important to you? Why are you so angry over a dress?” I surprised myself with my answer, “I guess I was really looking forward to you bringing me out and looking for a dress together. I felt hurt that you didn’t want to.” My ma wasted no time – she found a second-hand store and we had a wonderful time going through heaps of things together, finally settling on a black pantsuit that fit perfectly. Afterwards, we had dessert together as I shared my feelings about graduating. I felt accepted and loved. It's one of my fondest memories.

We grow up desiring shared moments in our lives, moments where we are seen, heard, and understood. I made space for this by spending quality time building relationships with my family, friends, and God. Things are not so straightforward today. Social m