empty shoes

My father-in-law passed away over the weekend.  He was a man of big dreams and lots of disappointments.  In the last ten years, he lost his wife, both his legs and a baby granddaughter.  Too much loss.

We're never very far away from death, I know.  But it's always a bit of a slap in the face when you realize just how close it is and just how irreversible.

The children don't understand what must seem like our callous acceptance of this horror.  The business of obituaries and services, phone calls and flowers seems as ridiculous as the idea of death itself. 

Why isn't Daddy crying, they want to know. 

He has, I say.  He will, I say.