I GAVE MY COAT TO A HOMELESS WOMAN ON CHRISTMAS EVE — 3 YEARS LATER, SHE RETURNED WITH A GRAY CASE & A SMILE I COULDN’T FORGET

The days after her death were a blur of grief and emptiness. I surrounded myself with work, avoiding the silence of our home.

Instead of going home after work, I’d stop by a bar or sit at the office, pretending I had more to do. I was ready to do anything to delay stepping into the quiet house that screamed her absence.

During that time, my friends tried their best to nudge me toward moving on.