You Could Make This Place Beautiful: A Memoir

Mother’s Day

Smith spends her first Mother’s Day without her husband. It is a surprisingly joyous day. Violet gives her a project she completed in class in which she says her mother has taught her to be optimistic. She and her children laugh and joke through dinner and then snuggle on the couch. She feels at peace.

About the Body

The divorce causes Smith to feel heavy, and she struggles to quiet her mind. She tries yoga, meditation, and other activities to find relief. A friend recommends running. Smith finds it difficult and frustrating, but she keeps pushing and surprises herself.

The Firsts

When Smith’s husband moves out, he does not take any of the things that Smith believes to be the most precious in their home: family photos, refrigerator drawings, baby teeth. These are the things she would run into a house fire to grab, but he had no interest in them. She realizes Rhett may lose his first baby tooth while he is at his father’s.

On Second Thought

Smith wonders how she can tell her story when she still feels she has not found it.

Ghost Story

A scene from the show Glitch causes Smith to cry for a character who dies and then returns to life after her husband has moved on.