When The Last Parent Is Gone

15 Sept 2022 · 1 min

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In this monologue, the speaker recounts the deaths of both parents— the mother twelve years ago and the father six years prior— and reflects on the profound emotional shift that occurs when the last parent passes away. The loss marks, for the speaker, the end of childhood and the disappearance of a lifelong safety net. The speaker describes lingering impulses to call the deceased mother, the ongoing planning that centers on the moment of the final parental death, and the hope that they will be reunited with their parents someday. The narrative connects personal grief to broader themes of generational planning and the enduring bond with lost loved ones.

Chapters

12 years ago this month, my mom died. 6 years before that, my dad had passed away. And after my mom died, it really struck me that the two people on earth who had devoted their entire lives to me were gone. It was a very confusing and bewildering feeling. And I think no matter how old you are, when your last parent goes, that's when you really feel the end of your childhood. As long as one parent is around, you still feel that safety net. And when the last one is gone, at least for me, it felt like the end of my childhood. And the end of that feeling that you can always go home. Most of the planning that I do is focused on that last death. When that last parent dies is when all the planning comes to bear and hopefully helps all the future generations to move forward successfully. Things are never the same after both of your parents are gone. I still catch myself thinking, "I gotta call my mom." I know that many of you out there have experienced the same feelings I'm feeling this month. And like me, many of you know that you'll see them again— someday.