An Orphan's Journey

As you grow up and build your sense of self you take many roads, and some detours, on the way to becoming that future person. You can do this because at your core you have your parents as the one foundation in your life that will never change. To you, this is an absolute. The constant that has always been there, will always be there. You are young and carefree, and you think you have plenty of time before you have to worry about them aging, becoming old and feeble, dying. Life can change in a day.

I never thought I'd be an orphan before 40. That's what it feels like, when both of your parents have died. I had heard the phrase, "I'm an orphan now", and remember thinking that it sounded almost mean, as though your parents left you on purpose. Of course it really only means one thing; that they've left you.

Soon I will say goodbye to my childhood home. This is my evolving story in pictures and words.