I am a softie (you know, the kind that cries at even moderately sad movies), and I am crying now, Geez Louise! I lost both of my parents many years ago (about 18 years). They died a little over a year apart, and both very suddenly. I still miss them terribly and think of them every single day. I am an only child, and my mother was an only, too. My dad had lots of family, but all of it back east, and we did not visit often or stay too much in touch. My husband's family lives relatively close geographically, but we are not close with them emotionally. Man, talk about feeling like you are lost in the universe...So, it goes. I love animals and I just lost my dog - which brought me back to the loss of my parents again. And every time I hear of a friend who has lost a loved one, I fall apart all over again. That may be why I have taken MA's passing harder than I probably should have, especially since I did not know her too well. It is hard times coming for me (the holidays), and they are the generally the worst times for me. My head clears up around April, usually. Both parents knew my daughter when she was a baby, and my dad carried around a huge wallet full of photos. You know, the kind that all link together, and when someone asked to see photos, he dropped them open like an accordian (dad was quite a character). My dad was in pro ball, and would have been at every single one of my son's games, no matter where he had to go to watch them. He died when I was pregnant with my son, although he did know that we were having a boy. My mom died after that. I live in a house about 1/4 of a mile away from theirs, and I spoke to them many times every day when they were alive. We were very close, the three of us.
I sure wish they could be here to see what great kids I have.