Yesterday an old man stopped me in the park and asked if he
could sit and watch my kids play a while.
We went on to have a conversation that I want to share with
others. Because it’s a conversation that will remain with me forever.
As I said, yesterday an old man stopped me in the park and
asked if he could sit and watch the kids play a while.
I asked him if he was okay and he told me that Archer looked just like his son when he was that age.
“Once upon a time I
had a massive family” he told me wistfully with one eye on the kids. “And I’ve
still got them, but I haven’t got them – if you know what I mean?”
I didn’t know.
“Oh they’re still alive” he told me cheerfully. “My three
sons, my boys. They’re still alive, happy and healthy but they’re all grown up
now and living in Australia with families of their own.”
He chucked Archers ball over to him that had rolled under
the bench near his feet before he turned to me and continued.
“My wife is still
here with me but she’s not very well. She used to be the life and soul of the
party, a non stop chatterbox and these days she’s quiet as a mouse. I’m lucky
to get one word out of her all day.”
I told him how sorry I was to hear that and he told me how
he calls her his sparrow, because she barely eats, except to nibble on the food
he makes her every now and again [like a little sparrow.]
“But it’s great” he went on to say, his entire face lit up “because
on Friday I bought her a bag of chips from the chip shop and she ate the whole
lot! It felt like I had my old Jenny back again.”
[And honestly my heart almost broke for him. Then and there
on that spot.]
He must have seen something on my face because he was quick
to reassure me.
“It can be lonely sometimes, walking through this park alone now when I used to walk through it with my wife and kids. But don’t feel sad for me because my memories
keep me happy, memories I’m so lucky to have had in the first place. And
looking in to the face of your boy is like rewinding the clock back 40 years so
thank you.”
Then he stood up to leave. Tipped his hat to me, ruffled
Archers hair and said “Do enjoy this time with your children miss. Soon
enough they’ll both be grown and just a treasured memory inside your head
instead of the reality you have now.”
And then he was gone.
And now I can’t get his words out of
my head.
Bless his lovely, lovely soul.
Instagram | Bloglovin' | Twitter | YouTube
What a sweet old man and such wise words. I remenber people always saying to make the most of my eldest being small and how quick they grow. She's now ten for goodness sake and it really does fly by x
ReplyDeleteOh my goodness, what a wonderful conversation to have had with him. It really does make you want to focus and appreciate every single thing doesn't it.
ReplyDeleteOh good grief, this has got me all choked up. It's sad really, to know that one day that will be us. So thought provoking - thank you So much for sharing x
ReplyDeleteI love the way you write and share your niche! Very interesting and different! Keep it coming! msn hotmail sign in
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDelete