Transitions: A mom comments on Father's Day
"Don't you have a calendar? Don't you know what day it is? Aren't you going to wish me a Happy Mother's Day?"
"I was gonna do that at the end of the conversation."
[Suspicious.] "Why wait 'til the end?"
"Well, what do you want me to say, "Happy Mother's Day, Mom, send money?"
(Score one for the son. That's the smartest rejoinder to a nagging mother I've ever heard. And yes, we were talking about how much money he needed.)
One of the weirder things about having an older child is having your husband take you out for Mother's Day without your kid anywhere in sight.
Today, we get to do the same for sonny-boy's Dear Olde Dad. I asked the hubby about it, and he feels as weird as I do, going out to celebrate on such a day with no child in tow.
My own father? I don't know how much longer he'll be around. Or, perhaps worse, what good it'll do me even if he is, as dreadful as that sounds. For the time being, he's reasonably sound of body, all right. But as for his mind, it's just a matter of time before he doesn't know who I am anymore.
Transitions. They're not always fun, and they're not always easy. Ask Mark. He'll tell you all about it.
3 Comments:
Shira: yes, transitions are hard, and painful sometimes. Thank you for sharing so openly and honestly, that can't be easy
You think that's bad? I called up my Dad and took him out for dinner this weekend. He's the one who reminded me it was Father's day. I just wanted to see him, because I hadn't seen him in a while. I'm lucky the thought came into my head to call him, becuase I might have forgotten the whole thing.
He's 81, and in great shape mentally, but a bit creaky physically. But still able to get about under his own power, as long as he's careful and doesn't slip and fall and break another bone. (Actually, I'm starting to worry about myself, I've been tripping and falling for not good reason. I haven't broken anything yet, but I'm hoping this isn't something that runs in the family.)
Cruisin', I had planned to wait until our son graduated college to go visit my parents in Israel. My brother, who lives over there, too, told me that I'd better come ASAP, because my father wouldn't know me by then. That's why we visited Israel *last* summer instead of waiting until *next* summer. I'm almost as glad for my son as for me. My parents made aliyah (moved to Israel) when our son was less than 3. This was the most time he'd ever spent with them in his life--and the most time he's ever likely to, as well.
Conserv Apikoris, the *good* news, from your father's point of view, is that you care enough about him that you wanted to see him just for the heck of it.
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