Those wonderful times when life makes lemonade out of lemons. “Flight 1724 to LaGuardia has been canceled.” A moment of panic, then clarity. I speed dial Expedia.com and am immediately put on hold.

I am in the Atlanta airport on my way to New York. A winter storm has closed LaGuardia. “We appreciate your patience. The next available operator will be with you shortly.” As saccharine music plays, I weigh my options.

I could fly back to Asheville and abort the trip, or I could spend the night in Atlanta and try again tomorrow. Delta will give me a discount at an airport hotel, or I could stay with my brother’s widow, Helga. I haven’t seen Helga since before Christmas. It would be good to see her.

Still on hold, I hang up and dial Helga’s number. Miraculously, she answers. Even at seventy-seven, Helga is a social butterfly. Helga says she’s just canceled going to a concert that night and she’s free. She’s excited about my visit.

An hour later, Helga picks me up at the Lindbergh MARTA train station. It’s 6:30, and we head to dinner. We’ll eat out. My treat.

It’s a lovely evening. Helga and I talk, really talk. We talk about our lives, our disappointments, our joys, our dreams. Helga tells me about her childhood in Germany and coming to live in the States when she was just twenty-one. I am in awe at her courage.

We talk about my brother’s early death. She says he was the love of her life. My eyes fill.

We also talk about the future. Helga is considering renting a house in France. She invites me to visit.

The next morning, I board the MARTA train for the airport. I am booked on the 9:40 flight to LaGuardia. The weather is iffy.

Life is filled with silver linings, and last night was one of them. I feel even closer to my sister-in-law. New York can wait. There’s nothing more important than the relationships in our lives.