Stone Soup by Jan Eliot for May 13, 2015

Natural response. Hopefully you’ll she’ll overcome the fear that’s holding her back.

Some motherly advice the daughter is trying to accept.

Val stop acting like a child this instance. And never did understand the theory of “since I lost my my first husband I’ll never marry again out of fear that I’ll lose the second one”. It’s like my grandpa who had a car accident when my mom was 7 and then never drove again. My poor father had to take his in-laws to every family party for 25 years before they died. Get professional help already!

Will someone send down a lightening bolt please Val needs help…and now! I don’t think Evie raised her girls to be cowards..

Yes, peterhuppertz I do know this is a comic. You obviously are a newcomer. We seasoned readers are involved in the Stone family day to day drama if only for five minutes.

@trekman58: exactly what I’ve been thinking!

Evie needs to come home STAT!

Somewhere, this is happening. Comics are serious and real, cloaked in humor and tell us about ourselves and our (in this case) Iowa culture and values.Now then. Holly is a challenge…the girls both are! But Val can’t make the all too common error of sublimating her happiness to fear about the child-rearing. Plus she has shock…she relived the possibility that Phil might also have died. But…he didn’t and she would go through that hell married to him or not. How about Mom flies home, colludes with Phil’s aunt, and does not leave until they are married?

Such a real human moment. Hopefully Edie will come home. STAT :~)

My husband of 53 years “knows” something will not work and I have spent the lt 53 years proving him wrong. Taking risks is often rewarding, exciting and interesting.

I’m under the table with Val! But give us a little time, peace, quiet & a nap, & we’ll be good as new.

Val, if you don’t make the leap of faith and marry Phil, you may end up regretting it the rest of your life.

time to come home Mom…..

Definitely not a warrior’s woman.

@dawnedoo: Amen! My first thought when seeing today’s strip was, “I’m with you, sister!” Val will prevail, but she needs her mom’s hugs right now.

People should view things logically after a trauma, but often they don’t, or can’t. Val wants to embrace her knees now, not “unpredictable adventure.” I’m trying to support a friend who has undergone an emotional experience, and see that recovery can be a long-drawn-out, up-and-down process.

Can understand Val’s reaction. I’d say she’s just scared to make a decision. But she can’t avoid one (I’m sure she knows that), and since they are a couple already, Phil NEEDS her. If she runs, it will be devastating for him.

Please tell me she will consider counseling. I grew up in a household where my mother, a widow, NEVER had another relationship. It affected all of her children…

They are really the same thing. The grandfather wouldn’t move on from his overreaction to the accident and drive again. Val, and anyone else whose spouse died, also need to move on from the devastating loss and live again. While it is understandable, it doesn’t look like Val wants to move on – her husband died more than ten years ago. In that timeframe, it is more that she is afraid to go through another loss again than still heartbroken over the loss of her first husband. No matter what happens, everyone dies eventually. Evie married Arnold knowing he might die one day. She herself lost a husband – Val’s father. Joan married Wally knowing he could die one day – almost like being divorced which she was from Max’s dad. Val needs to move on and start living again.

Val definitely needs some counseling and psychotherapy. Her fears don’t have any logical grounding. It almost seems as if she is using this accident as an excuse for backing out of wedding plans. An yet she seemed so happy about it previously.

Aw come on out Val!

I LUV the comments today. As fans, we CARE about them all..I know Jan knows we care too. I like the plan of aunt and mother getting together till they see them married! Also, that Val will regret it if she doesn’t take this leap.

When me husband died, my cousin’s husband came from England to be here, saying he would, “Pay thru Eternity” if he didn’t. That would be tragic for her!

Once burned, twice shy.

Based on the city she lives in, the Stones are in Michigan, not Pacific Northwest.

What happened to her first husband?

Ummmm…