The dress felt foreign against your skin, a stark reminder of how much had changed since your mother's passing. As you stood before the mirror, adjusting the fabric, you couldn't shake off the feeling of being a stranger in your own life. Amidst the flurry of activity, you couldn't help but feel like an outsider, an unwilling participant in this new beginning. The weight of grief still hung heavy in your heart, a silent companion in the midst of the celebrations.

As you made your way to the venue, the knot in your stomach tightened with each step. The unfamiliar faces and forced pleasantries only served to accentuate your sense of displacement. You felt like an imposter in this world of smiles and laughter, longing for the familiarity of the past. Inside the church, you found your seat and waited for the ceremony to start.