The Bridge in life.

“When you’re weary, feeling small,

When tears are in your eyes,

I will dry them all, I‘m on your side.

When times get rough,

And friends just can’t be found,

Like a bridge over troubled water,

I will lay me down.”

When I became a parent so many years ago, I had no idea what to expect and whether I would be good at it. Changing diapers was something I learned, feeding them in their high chair turned out to be entertaining, and watching them grow has always been rewarding.

But when the hurt starts and they need you by their side, that’s when being a parent really comes into focus. Whether it’s a Mom or Dad, we are the ones that are needed to comfort, console, and let them know everything will be okay. Sometimes they will accept me as their consoler, other times, its where’s Mom? However, rarely the opposite.

The one thing that has surprised me, and I guess we should all know it’s coming, is when parents need your help. It can be a range reasons---financial, physical, or the loss of a loved one that happened to be your Mom, Dad, brother or sister. It is a very odd feeling, but one that is very real and one we all need to prepare for as we get older.

My Dad has really surprised us; when my Mom became ill, it was a true shock. She had been in good health for as long as I could remember, and then in a matter of a moment, she wasn’t. My Dad was not just there for her---he was her stoic partner for life. It left an undeniable impression of what true love is all about.

But over the past few years, it’s been challenging for my Dad. He is still very strong but the loss of my Mom has wounded him and it is a deep gash. When I go to visit him he is still the caring man who was always there for me, but now I see where he needs my help. Not something that’s noticeable for the outside world, but noticeable in our world as his kids.

My Dad is doing something that he rarely does any more---he is coming to visit our home. We are so happy and can’t wait. It’s truly going to be a special weekend---one that will be featured in a future “Snap.Shot.”

The photo above was taken in Hawaii a few months ago. My daughter and her cousin live thousands of miles apart, yet when they get together, they have each other’s back. They both know, “When you're weary, feeling small, when tears are in your eyes, I will dry them all, I'm on your side.”

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