My dad calls to apologize for his drinking during my childhood and I do not know how to tell him that I grieved having a father so long ago that his sobriety now feels like meeting a stranger.
More people experience this than they realize.
The child who needed the parent has already died, leaving an adult who must decide whether to resurrect hope or honor their grief.
“Where Are You with Grief for lost childhood?”
If this sounds familiar, the Library can help you find the bigger picture.