She sat back in her chair. Leaning her head back she wondered if she was ever going to be whole again? She walked around every day and wondered whether she would ever find that little piece that was missing? Worked hard and searched and searched. Where had it got to?

Close at hand, the freedom from the fear, the fear of never again being whole, could be felt. She could touch it.

It tasted…fresh and wonderful.

It looked…absolutely awesome.

It felt like the tiniest bit of her heart had been healed, the bit that wasn’t complete, that piece that was not whole.

The missing bit – the love of life, the love of caring and closeness, knowing tenderness, the love – for herself – wasn’t missing anymore.

But how could that be?

A stranger had entered her world. A kind and sweet stranger who came close and saw her. Reached out and held her. Took her face in his hands and kissed her, wanted her. Just her and all of her

The stranger helped her to gently face the fear. The fear that had filled a piece of her heart, that felt it was missing something vital. The stranger was a stranger no more.

The fear that disappeared left a gap in her heart, an opening that was discovered and filled by tenderness, excitement and joy – restoring what had been missing.

Healing the broken heart.