Tag Archives: single parent

A Sonny Day

Leave a reply

To her, the name of father was another name for love.

—Fanny Fern

Today’s story is from Summer Puente.

On occasion, we share a story that cuts deep, so deep that the customary “life lesson” seems extraneous. A story that confounds the traditional paradigm of what a father should be, and reveals the boundless potential of what a father can be.

In the words of Summer Puente…

“This is my dad. With him is my eldest sister, Sonny.”
Summer Puente

“Thomas and Sonny eat dinner in the big chair and fall asleep together every night.”

“She’s got the cognitive ability of a two or three year old, with limited speech and mobility and function. Like a baby, trapped within the temperament of a toddler and in the body of a young woman.”

READ MORE 

Mom’s Second Life — A Second Chance

3 Replies

She almost died. That’s why she lived.

Today’s story is from Yonsenia White.

Arnetta White. My mother. Born in poverty. The youngest of twelve. She faced racism, sexism and segregation. And a troubled marriage, as well.

Mom was our rock.

Kevin (standing left), Keith (seated), Mrs. Arnetta White, Mr. Henry White (Yon’s father), Me (infant)

After Dad left, Mom filled both parenting roles. She shined at both. We rarely felt an absence of dad.

But she never complained. Her strength of character and faith in God got us all through some difficult times. Her heart was so big, her effort so great; she made many sacrifices for us. In all of my life, I‘ve seen Mom cry only twice.

She raised my brothers and me on a housekeeper’s salary. Her venue each day: twenty-some rooms on a nursing home floor. Climbing ladders. Changing curtains. Mopping floors. Removing trash. For anyone—especially a heavyset woman of 60 — backbreaking work.

Then it happened. Mom suddenly became tired, light-headed, but wanted to finish her housekeeping duties. When she got home, she felt a lot worse. My brother rushed her to the hospital. READ MORE 

Have You Learned About Vacuums Yet?

1 Reply

“Once you let go of all the negative people in your life…positive ones appear.”

—Autumn Kohler

Today’s story is from Megan.

Dad raised me from 9. Mom left us that year. My brother was 7. Those were tough times.

the vacuum, the void

Megan in Hawaii

We did have one bit of luck. Dad won a trip to Hawaii. The catch? Tickets for two. He’ll probably take Ryan, I thought.

Wrong. Dad asked me along!

Me and my dad. A trip with just him. Right after Mom left. You can’t know what that meant.

Dad and I spent a week doing it all. We inspected each beach. We examined each shell. We ate off the same plate. We even toured the Dole pineapple factory, my hand tucked tightly in his. READ MORE 

Just Do What Has to Be Done

Leave a reply

Do the right thing. It will gratify some people and astonish the rest.

—Mark Twain

by Darren Hardy, April 9, 2013

My dad would have been 66 years old yesterday. I lost him to bone cancer seven months ago. In his eulogy I passed forward the half-dozen philosophies he taught me that shaped me into the man I am today, in the hope they might benefit those in attendance.

what has to be done

Darren Hardy in his father’s arms

In honor and celebration of his birthday I’d like to pass one of those philosophies forward to you. This one saved my life… and defined my life.

You might know that my parents divorced when I was only 18 months old. My mother never really wanted to be a mother (she got angry when she found out she was pregnant with me), so when they split up, she cheerfully handed me over to my dad.

My dad didn’t know what to do with me either. He was only 23 years old when I was born. He had just moved from his hometown, in the San Francisco Bay Area, to what seemed like the middle of nowhere in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

There we were, out there all alone.    READ MORE