Wanda sat upon her favorite park bench. It was not often that she had the free time. But today she took the time. The sun was warm, but not hot. A refreshing breeze blew through the trees. Small children scampered down by the pond. She drank in the beauty, and recharged her spirits. Everyone needs to make the time to enjoy such simple pleasures, she thought to herself (for she was not one to mumble out loud). She dozed lightly. A voice awakened her.

�Wanda� she heard a woman�s voice at a distance. She did not recognize the voice, but she started and looked around. �Wanda, come dear, we must get back now.�

A small girl was feeding the mallards in the pond. She turned her head and said �Okay, mom.� Wanda was a small blonde girl of about five years. Wanda and her mom went off down the path and disappeared behind some bushes.

Wanda�s heart beat heavily as the memories flooded over her. From this distance the little girl looked so much like her little girl. She had once had a daughter, though her name wasn�t Wanda. That was a long, long time ago, but the memories were still very painful. She wished that she hadn�t come here today; it had been years since she last thought about her daughter. Her marriage had not been one of love. The times had been dismal, and she had been poor and lonely. Her husband had said that he loved her, but he hadn�t. He was abusive. When their daughter arrived she hoped they would become, if not a happy family, at least a family. But it was not to be. After few more years of abuse, he had taken her daughter and disappeared. She never saw either of them again. Her heart was broken; her life was shattered.

She hadn�t cried in years, but tears were welling from Wanda�s eyes as she left the park. Even after fifty years, some memories do not fade.