Ending a relationship with an old boyfriend was traumatic because I not only was severing ties with him, but his family as well. In the 4+ years that we dated, I had become very fond of his brothers and his mother. After we ended our relationship, I tried to stay in contact with his mother, but eventually that became awkward, too. I was afraid that she might think that I was trying to use her to rekindle the relationship with her son, even if that were not the case.
Yesterday, I learned that my Mrs. Edelman had passed away in March. I discovered this information when I read a blog by one of her granddaughters, the niece of my former boyfriend. Sadly for this young lady, her grandmother's death coincided with her birthday. I can't imagine how devastating that must have been for this young collegian.
After reading the blog, I was temporarily filled with sadness; then, I was grateful for having known this very special woman. Phyllis Donnenfeld Edelman loved to travel; she loved to garden; and she loved her sons. She rose above her pain after her husband's tragic death to live and laugh again. I still remember her looking like the belle of the ball at her eldest son's wedding. Mrs. Edelman was so radiant that she almost outshone the bride. I was always grateful to her for welcoming me into her home for several Thanksgivings. She and her husband were gracious hosts. I loved her tradition of having chocolate foil-wrapped turkeys at each placesetting and I'll never forget sharing those Thanksgiving holidays with her and her family.
Breaking up with a boyfriend is hard to do, but breaking up with his family is often harder.
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