Dear Diary,

I decided to take Calvin as my husband and I am so pleased I did! He introduced me to his sister, Annabelle, who is teaching me how to sew the lovely, silk dresses that she sells. I still can't make gowns as elegant as she does, though. One was pale pink with lace and pearls all over it! I loved it so much she let me keep it! She reminds me of the sister I always pretended to have as a slave.

Calvin's mother, Mary, can paint beautiful paintings of fields, forests, lakes, oceans and mountains. She once painted a picture of a radiant sapphire blue sky, covered in white, violet and scarlet clouds. The She added a small flock of white birds and told me they represented freedom. She said she had made it especially for me! I hung it in my bedroom and found myself constantly staring at the birds which desperately flew to freedom, away from imprisonment.

The whole time at Calvin's, I felt like I was in a dream. I was with a family who loved me, and away from awful Master Wilson who treated me like dirt. Calvin's father, Davis, lets me call him Uncle Davis because he really likes me being part of the family. He's a short, jolly old man who is constantly cracking jokes telling funny stories about his two fat cats, Pokey and Scratch.

While the whole family was laughing around the fireplace one night, the crackling orange flames took me back to the campfire the slaves and I sang around every night. I slowly closed my eyes and reminisced about the past.

"Follow the drinking gourd,

Follow the drinking gourd,

For the old man is a-waiting for to carry you to freedom,

Follow the drinking gourd."

We sang, laughed and talked until the fire was completely out. When there was just a spark left, we had finished that song and I turned to my father and asked, "What old man are we singing about? Who's going to carry us to freedom?"

My father smiled and hugged me. "Don't you worry about that Lily. The point is, he will carry you to freedom. Either sooner or later."

When the fire had completely died, the slaves returned silently to their beds in the darkness. My mother tucked me in and said prayers with me.

"May God bless you, Lily," she whispered, kissing me goodnight. "I love you."

I remember I was already half asleep when she said that. And that was the night before she was sold. I had missed my last chance to tell her I love her.

A tear ran down my face as the memory played through my head. I snapped back into reality when Calvin asked me what was wrong.

I quickly wiped my face and murmured, "It's just...my past life...I actually miss it a little. We had such fun times together. Although life was hard, there was good brought out of the bad times. Such good memories from bad ones..."

There was a long silence and I saw tears fill Mary's eyes.

"That's God's job!" Uncle Davis suddenly bellowed, laughing loudly. "To bring good out of bad times!"

I grinned at his enthusiasm.

Calvin laughed and said, "Yup. Dad's right. Life as a slave wasn't all bad...despite the terrible things that happened."

"But you know how hard times are a blessing?" Uncle Davis asked.

"How can curses be blessings?" I asked, confused.

He smiles from ear to ear. "Suffering brings you closer to the Lord."

I stared at him, my mind racing with thoughts. How could that be true? And then it hit me.

"I...have grown closer to God," I commented, grinning. "My dad's death has brought me closer to him. And although I miss him, I've never been happier in my life."

It was then Uncle Davis reminded me of my uncle, David, who's living in Minnesota. I really wanted to see how he's doing in that state. The fastest way there is by train, but it's so expensive, that I'm not sure I can get up to him at all. I've asked Calvin about it, and he said he'd try to do what he could. Then, a thought occurred to me. With my mother-in-law's fantastic paintings, we could sell those along with Annabelle's dresses! I hope people will buy them with such high prices.