I don’t know where the line originates. Maybe it comes from one of my children, who spoke to another of my children because they miss each other as they live their lives in Seattle, Germany, and soon, Rwanda. Wherever it comes from, it found its way into this little exchange between two of them, and is at the core of an element in their intertwined lives that brings me great joy.
“Why are you so far away?” writes one.
“Because the world is wide and cold,” writes the other. ”Alas.”
“That is sad…”
“Indeed.”
As Father’s Day approaches, I’ve much to boast about, in my opinion (and I’m not prone to boasting). I love my three children fiercely, and have good relationships with each of them. They’re all different, all beautiful, each displaying different facets of character – unique in their loves, joys, ways of living. I’m proud of them and as this particular Father’s Day approaches, for reasons I can’t understand, I’m celebrating their lives and am mindful of the great privilege I’ve had to share my life with them for the past 26, 25, 21 years respectively.
But the dialogue that opened this piece is no doubt the matter in which I take perhaps the greatest pride, and joy because it tells me something very significant: My children love each other; love each other enough that they long to be with each other, so much so that separation creates a hole. It’s not tolerance, admiration, respect… it’s love. And this brings me great joy.
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