For some unknown reason, I became fascinated by red shoes when my husband became terminally ill. I already had red flats in two different styles, but it was about heels that I was obsessing. I had no idea why I was so driven.

My friend, Patti, urged me to get a pair. It has been just over two weeks since Don passed away. I was out running errands yesterday, closing bank accounts, and saying goodbye to friends in Kingsport. On a last-minute whim, I stopped at a discount shoe store and found a pair of red heels at a good price. With no steady income, I had no freakin' business blowing money on shoes that weren't essential. Besides, I am a known Shoe Whore with more shoes than any woman needs. But like I said, I felt driven, somehow.

When I slipped the heels on my stockinged feet and stood in front of the mirror, a revelation hit me. I finally figured out that the red heels are somehow a symbol that life must go on. Red is a celebratory color in India, and brides there wear red instead of white on their wedding day. It is the color of blood, of life, of being in the physical world. And heels are dressy, sexy, and fun. And if Don were looking down on me now, I know he would smile and say to himself, "She gets it. Somehow, she must go on. My baby is going to be okay."

Thank you, Patti. I don't know if you realized the whole truth when you urged me to get them, but you were right.

And thank you, Asilinn, for putting up with me as I downloaded dozens of images of red shoes off the Internet and tried to show all of them to you... LOL You helped me so much during that time.

Somehow, yes, it will go on.