All too often, we hear about parents abandoning their young children; perhaps you were one of those children. Whether you were aware of your parents’ divorce or if one of your parents disappeared without a trace or explanation, being abandoned is something no child can comprehend. While I never had the experience of being abandoned, I did have friends who had to go through it as children. They are still struggling as adults.
One never grows tired of wanting to know why, and sometimes the answer is not as simple as it appears on the surface. The following story, inspired by AmoMama readers, will make you cry and make you realize that life has a way of bringing people back together. So grab a tissue and keep reading! Our story begins with a young girl named Mel visiting the camera equipment store where her parents worked.
She’d spent so much time in that store, daydreaming about one day owning her own camera. Her parents appeared to be very happy together and had worked together in that shop for many years. Mel was about 12 years old at the time, and any child at this age is more vulnerable and aware as they enter a critical stage of their lives, becoming a teenager. Mel went to the store where her parents worked after school one day. But there was something missing.
Her father. Mel inquired as to where he was. Mel’s mother, with tears in her eyes, told her that her father would not return and that they would never see him again. Of course, her adolescence was befuddling; what a time to be abandoned by your father! Mel realized her parents had divorced as she grew older, but she had no idea where her father had gone, why he had stopped communicating with her, or why he had just left so abruptly.
Mel’s mother was now employed at an art gallery, and Mel hoped to one day become a photographer, perhaps even owning her own gallery. Of course, Mel never stopped thinking about her father. Mel eventually graduated from high school. She did not pursue her studies further, but she did pursue her dream of becoming a photographer. Fortunately, growing up in a photography store and gallery meant she understood photography well and was able to make a name for herself.
A recent project included street photography and capturing the essence of strangers through her lens. She would photograph everyone, rich and poor, homeless and raw, the city’s real life. Of course, Mel would look through old photos, and on this particular day she came across one of a homeless man sitting on a bench. While Mel couldn’t quite make out the man’s face, she had a feeling he was familiar to her. She decided that this intuitive feeling was compelling enough to pursue the homeless man in her photograph.
Mel returned to the park where the photograph was taken the next day. And she was surprised and delighted. The man from her photograph was sitting on that very bench. She photographed the man again, including some close-ups. Mel went home and went through the photos she’d taken. It was at this point that she realized she recognized the homeless man. She dug out an old photo album and quickly recognized him.
Her father was this homeless man sitting on a bench. Mel visited the park every day for a week. However, she was unable to locate the man. He finally showed up one afternoon. Mel sat down beside him on the bench and asked if he recognized her. He just stared at her at first, but soon tears welled up in his eyes. He realized he was looking at his daughter, the girl he had last seen when she was only 12 years old. Mel’s father was initially hesitant to answer her questions, but she persisted. And soon, the truth was revealed.
He had left for far more reasons than she realized. “I’m sorry, honey, but I didn’t have a choice.” I didn’t want to leave you, but I was diagnosed with a heart condition that required expensive treatment. Our financial situation was precarious. If I had told your mother, she would have spent all of her savings on me. I fled so you two wouldn’t have to deal with any issues.
“I drove for a few years and was able to take my medications, but I had to stop soon after because I needed complete bed rest.” And that’s how I ended up homeless. I was just counting down the days until I died when you came along.” Mel’s mother was initially hesitant because she did not want her father to return. She, too, had no idea what he had been going through or that he had been living on the streets for so long. She eventually agreed to let Mel’s father return home.
The moral of the story is actually quite simple. You never truly know what someone is going through, and if you react in anger, you may never know. Kindness should be extended to everyone you meet.