Laurie didn’t blame the Blessed Virgin. It wasn’t her fault that Billy had died so young or that January had brought heavy rains into the family cemetery to topple the monument.

200 lbs of sculpted cement lay atop Billy, Dad, and Grandpa Norbert. In Laurie’s world the Virgin Mary stood enshrined in a semi-circular blue shell with the top tapered heavenward. Mary was being launched from an Earthly pier headed toward the stars.

Except on this wet Sunday afternoon when Laurie discovered the soft ground had caused Mary’s vessel to capsize, leaving her in the mud on three graves.

Laurie knew that she could call for help. She knew that the Blessed Virgin would forgive her for walking away or waiting for spring, but she couldn’t forgive herself.

She summoned all the strength of her 5 ft frame, and with stubborn resolve she hoisted Mary from the mud. Grabbing the concrete torso, the two danced back and forth until a sturdier spot was found.

Laurie wiped the mud from her brow and took out her rosary.