Today is my foster granddaughter's fifth birthday. It's also Father's Day. Her Dad died when she was 1 1/2. How much he's missing, and what a wonderful dad he was. He adored her and I can't even imagine what it felt like to know he was dying and would not see her grow up. My older two kids' father died when they were young teenagers, and at every graduation, wedding, holiday and birthday I pause to think of him and all he's missed. He never saw them marry and never knew who they chose, and now he is unable to see his granddaughter.
By some miracle I have lived to see so much, and witness my children grow up and find work and people they love and develop interests and travel and change. This is a powerful fund of happiness for me. They are strong and good people, who work hard and know how to love.
Now when my little two year old granddaughter asked me today on the phone to come up soon, she misses me, I say I will. Soon. And we hope to keep those promises and someday we'll not be able to, but our intentions can be known and understood by our hearts from a very young age.
We intend to be there for them, and if we aren't - well, in a way - we are there, because we would be it we could. We will be if we're lucky.
such a nice comment on the presence factor in our loved ones lives.
ReplyDeleteI have a little something for the five year old foster grandchild.
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