Wednesday, February 16, 2011

Pros and cons

There are many things I enjoy about getting older: wisdom, experience, clarity, not giving a crap what other people think.

But one of the things I like least is watching my friends lose their parents. In the past year or so alone, six of my friends -- people my age or younger -- have had to say goodbye to their fathers.

Mr. Gardner
Mr. Tsakataras
Mr. Bistline
Mr. Manchon
Mr. Mekonis
and now, as of Monday, Mr. Gervay

If I go back farther in time, I can add more. Mr. and Mrs. Traumann, Mrs. Rabinowitz, Mr. Brown.

I don't have the right words to comfort my friends. What can I possibly say to ease their pain? And how can we be old enough to be losing our parents? It just doesn't seem possible.

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