Daddy and I stopped to have lunch while on one of our adventures. We chatted as we sat and shared a relaxing lunch. As usual, he told stories. That particular day, he talked about his mother and commented that I reminded him of her. I guess that’s why he sometimes said, “Yes, Mama,” when I gave him instructions. In fact, his last Mother’s Day with me, he gave me a Mother’s Day card and thanked me for being his “mama.”
As we visited, he paused and said thoughtfully, “You know, we are both orphans. Neither of us has our Mama anymore.” I had not thought of it that way before but it was true.
Even though many years had passed since our moms had gone, a wave of loneliness washed over us and took our breath away for a moment. There is a void that cannot be filled by anything or anyone else. It’s as if there is an empty chair at the table. I don’t imagine there will ever be a time when I don’t have the fleeting thought, “I’ll go ask Mama.” Now there are days when the thought comes or a question is posed and I say to myself, “I have to remember to go tell Daddy,” or “I’ll go ask Daddy. He’ll know the answer.”
There is no certain age of orphans. They may be small children or even grown adults who find themselves without parents. We may find ourselves wishing for one more chance to talk with them over a cup of hot tea. We may like to take one more hike into the mountains. If we had the opportunity would we listen to their stories more intently, hanging on every word? Would we let them know we appreciated the sacrifices they made for us? Would we give another hug? We cannot bring back time, but we can make the most of the time we have.
Hug an orphan! They might just be missing someone today.
I treasure your adventures and the feelings and thoughts you presented as I miss my parents too.