Dad at Mom's Grave, Mothers Day, 2019

  Each of us spends time alone in one’s life whether for hours, days our perhaps longer.  Do you fear time alone or perhaps long for it as it provides for a time of solitude? Are you comfortable with time alone or does it make you uncomfortable?  From birth we begin our lives living with others, someone there, someone to take care of us but at some time we must leave that and go out on our own, but do we truly go on our own or into the arms of another?   At some point in a relationship whether with your spouse, your children or your significant other you probably felt the need for some time alone but then you know you have that security of returning to those you love.  What happens when they are no longer there?

  My father called me tonight for no apparent reason other than to talk, I sensed he felt alone.     I deeply admire my father who was married sixty-two years and it was truly “until death do us part” when my mother died.  To have her there every day, year after year, though the growing of your children, them leaving home and then growing old together.  How does he, how does his heart, deal with having someone that close in your life that long no longer there?  How do you deal with the absence you feel in the heart when they are no longer there?

   Is it better to live with another so long you miss them deeply when they are gone that it hurts all over or to live alone, never to experience the missing at all?

  I reflect upon this tonight in my own solitude.

Larry Mixson, 03-25-2019

Cat's in the Cradle
by Harry Chapin
 
My child arrived just the other day
He came to the world in the usual way
But there were planes to catch, and bills to pay
He learned to walk while I was away
And he was talking 'fore I knew it, and as he grew
He'd say "I'm gonna be like you, dad"
"You know I'm gonna be like you"
 
And the cat's in the cradle and the silver spoon
Little boy blue and the man in the moon
"When you coming home, dad?" "I don't know when"
But we'll get together then
You know we'll have a good time then
 
My son turned ten just the other day
He said, thanks for the ball, dad, come on let's play
Can you teach me to throw, I said, not today
I got a lot to do, he said, that's okay
And he walked away, but his smile never dimmed
It said, I'm gonna be like him, yeah
You know I'm gonna be like him
 
And the cat's in the cradle and the silver spoon
Little boy blue and the man in the moon
"When you coming home, dad?" "I don't know when"
But we'll get together then
You know we'll have a good time then
 
Well, he came from college just the other day
So much like a man I just had to say
Son, I'm proud of you, can you sit for a while?
He shook his head, and he said with a smile
What I'd really like, dad, is to borrow the car keys
See you later, can I have them please?
 
And the cat's in the cradle and the silver spoon
Little boy blue and the man in the moon
"When you coming home, son?" "I don't know when"
But we'll get together then, dad
You know we'll have a good time then
 
I've long since retired and my son's moved away
I called him up just the other day
I said, I'd like to see you if you don't mind
He said, I'd love to, dad, if I could find the time
You see, my new job's a hassle, and the kids have the flu
But it's sure nice talking to you, dad
It's been sure nice talking to you
And as I hung up the phone, it occurred to me
He'd grown up just like me
My boy was just like me
 
And the cat's in the cradle and the silver spoon
Little boy blue and the man in the moon
"When you coming home, son?" "I don't know when"
But we'll get together then, dad
We're gonna have a good time then