Twenty-Four Sundays

Twenty-Four SundaysBy: Rebecca DuganIn our present world of ever-changing events - speed, technology, noise; a world of greatness and a world of chaos - true to life story takes place in a little town about sixty miles north of New York City, involving an older couple who have sat next to each other every Sunday in church for well over a year.Very few words are spoken. A simple "hi" at the beginning of the service, and a courteous, "Have a nice week" when it ended. Until she misses a week. When she returns the next Sunday, he leans over and says, "I missed you." She smiles back, and politely answers, "thank you."The next week, however, he is not there. She is puzzled because he is always there, and never late.When the service is over and she is about to leave the church, she sees him standing at the back looking quite distressed. She is startled to see him there. At this moment in time, their lives would change forever.About the AuthorRebecca Dugan spent her original career as a third-grade teacher in Rhode Island. She soon discovered that the secret to being a good teacher was showing children that they could accomplish things they may never even have dreamed of doing. Her empathy for those overcoming difficulties emerged from her own experiences as a child with severe asthma.In 1980, Dugan began applying this philosophy to adults. She wrote a trilogy of inspirational books, Women in Transition, exploring women's relationship to their evolving selves as well as those around them.As she grows older, Dugan is sharply aware of the need for a focus and media exposure for stories about mature individuals, as they face so many changes and health issues in their lives. As they age, the emotions of mature individuals are much more focused on relationships. They no longer are distracted by raising families and attending to so many other daily and work endeavors.Twenty-Four Sundays relates to the emotions of an older couple who meet in church and the dramatic events that happen to them. These events lead to a sensitive, poignant story.