A rather large part of you is suddenly gone. At work and with my friends I was still happy, but there were times when I was alone when everything seem...d less shiny, less colorful somehow. It’s as close to a depression I had ever come in my life. I shook it off kind of quickly, and the only lasting result of my temporary blues was that I lost some weight, which meant that I could buy some new clothes, two sizes smaller than before. And honestly – retail therapy really does work! My new, thinner,. I think we'll get used to it."Now we look at each other -- which is just the same as looking in the mirror -- and we realize we're really, really beautiful. And we think we don't deserve such beauty. We didn't know how you could possibly not be totally jealous, even with us black as night. We've always thought we weren't so much, and it's hard for us to know we're truly beautiful. It's hard for us to realize we must have looked mighty damn good before."We're so happy but we don't know how to. .. love and family and the spirit of giving, and most important of all, celebration of the birth of our Savior. Every Christmas is special, of course, but I think I'm really loving the ones I'm living through right now. I'm Meredith Marshall, a 32-year-old homemaker. I've been married for the past decade to Doug, a successful Realtor. We have two wonderful daughters. Connie is eight, pretty in a delicate sort of way, with long blonde curls. Doug says he imagines she's the image of me at that. Every female wanted to be like her. And every male just plain wanted to HAVE her.I sat.She said in a reproachful voice, “Are you gay?”I spluttered, “WHAT??!! OF COURSE NOT!!”She said, “Then why haven’t you made a play for me? Why haven’t you asked me out?”This conversation was a waste of time.I cut right to the chase. I said, “Women like you don’t date guys like me. You’re miles out of my league and we both know it. So why should I give you the satisfaction of turning me down?”She looked.