The year is 2009 and it is my first Easter living on my own in Winnipeg. It’s been just over two months since my marriage ended. And it’s also my daughter’s birthday. I am living in a cramped one bedroom apartment and have decided to have my kids over for Easter dinner. Kyle is bringing Krista and Kimmy is having dinner with a friend and they are joining us for dessert.

When I moved out, my children insisted that they weren’t interested in any of my English bone china so it all went to an antique auction, as did all the silver they didn’t want either. In anticipation of this dinner, I had gone to a thrift store and picked up four dinner plates and cutlery. Until then I’d been using paper and plastic.

Kyle and Krista had already arrived when my phone rang. It was Kimmy with a change of plans. She and her friend would be joining us for dinner after all. I was delighted but asked that she bring along another dinner plate and some cutlery as there would now be five of us.

When they arrived, I was struggling to prepare a batter for Kimmy’s birthday cake. My ex had dropped my Kitchen Aid when I moved out and it was jammed. Kimmy laughingly picked up a whisk and beat the batter by hand.

We had a wonderful dinner together and sat around talking for quite some time after. And then out came the family photo albums. We all had a great time looking at baby pictures and other memories surfaced as we came across photos taken at such places as Disneyworld and The Alamo.

The year is now 2018 and my tenth Easter on my own. I woke up to a brilliantly sunny day here in Mazatlan. I attended a mass at the Cathedral although I am not Catholic. Then a friend and I went out for brunch to a small Mexican restaurant. We sat in the Plazuela Republica afterwards, listening to a guitarist. Later on today I am meeting friends at another Mexican restaurant for dinner. I also look forward to strolling along the malecon and listening to the waves.

As wonderful as it is here today in Mexico, I would give anything for even just two minutes more with my children back in 2009.

Happy Easter to all of my readers. Enjoy your day with your loved ones.