“What the hell do you mean?” I asked.
My mother smiled.
“I mean, when there is something bad going on in your life it’s so easy to react and focus on the negative, but there is a positive outcome to everything. And when we latch onto that positive aspect we grow, we learn, and we become much stronger. That is how the human race has thrived so well.”
I shook my head.
“Wow, how did my mother become the next Aristotle?” I asked with a smile.
My mother laughed and shook her head at me.
“You’ve always been such a smart mouth,” she grinned.
“I know,” I said. “I think I learned it from you.”
“Probably.”
I stood up and placed the ice cream back in the freezer.
“I guess I’ll go to the dance after all,” I said, the sound of defeat hanging in my voice. This was the last thing in the world I wanted to do, but something my mother said clicked with me and I realized it was the best thing for me to do. I needed to give myself permission to forget, for at least one night. It was time to let go and just have a good time with my friends.
I just had to forget that Daniel ever existed.
* * *