13 Women and Their Necklace (page 6 of 6)

For her entire adult life, Roz Warner, 59, equated fun with escape. As a physician, she'd never had time for it.

The daughter of a judge, she had earned her degree piecemeal at seven different colleges, all while selling Avon during the school year, running a motel in the summer, and raising a son. "After five years of marriage, I woke up one day and my husband was gone," she says. "I was devastated. But I realized I could have a better life."

That better life included attending UCLA med school and leading hospital task forces. "I've always worked in a man's world," Roz reflects. "Women weren't in my comfort zone. When I joined the group, I could have dominated the discussions; the others had an unnatural respect for me as a physician. But I'm not an authority on everything. My ability has been to listen and to help us move forward."

She adds, "Before this, my life was all about work. These women have given me a foundation I didn't have."

Roz ended up moderating another fund-raiser the women organized, to benefit an affordable-housing program for artists. The idea was to auction off an "enchanted evening" with the women of Jewelia. Thanks to a full house, they raised $1,200.

And Priscilla Van Gundy, the one who haggled in the jewelry store? During one of the group's earliest celebrations, the necklace showed its true power to transform. A single chair at the long rectangular table at a local restaurant indicated that the jeweler's wife was the last to arrive. Priscilla saw women laughing and talking; she saw camaraderie.

"I'm sorry I'm late," she told the others. "I had work to do."

Jonell welcomed her warmly and introduced her to everyone. They thought, So this is the woman whose husband made it all possible.

Priscilla saw that Mary O'Connor was wearing the necklace; it shimmered against the red sweater she wore. Though she'd seen the necklace in her store for over a year, Priscilla had never seen it look so brilliant. Did it look especially beautiful when it was worn -- or was it these women who gave it such luster?

That night, Tom Van Gundy saw his wife smile for the first time in months, her warm brown eyes crinkling at the corners. "This is a great group of women," Priscilla told him. "Thank you for making me part of it."

*** What the Necklace Meant to …

Patti Channer: Dumped her frills

Maggie Hood: Opened herself to others

Nancy Huff: Found her sense of fun

Mary Karrh: Put money second

Roz McGrath: Put the group first

Jonell McLain: Brought everyone together

Dale Muegenburg: Rekindled a marriage

Dana Murdock*: Went against her grain

Mary O'Connor: Made it a family affair

Mary Osborn: Donated to charity

Tina Osborne: Became a joiner

Priscilla Van Gundy: Learned to smile again

Roz Warner: Fit friends in

*replaced by Jone Pence

From Reader's Digest - September 2008

Originally in The Necklace

 

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