The Divorce

They were newly married and in love...
Then WWII interrupted their lives.

He went to war just as he learned he would be a new father.
She went to California and had a baby girl while he was at sea.

He was lonely and far away... mostly he yearned to come home to wife and daughter.

She was lonely and yearning for companionship.

But, instead of coming home to a wife and 2 year old daughter, he came home to a divorce....oh, he was hurt, angry, bitter, disappointed; a host of emotions.

But, he loved his beautiful little daughter, and faithfully took her every summer. He loved her deeply, was proud of her, but had angry feelings for her mother.

He often shook his finger in his little daughter's face criticizing the little girl's mother. It was hard on her, she loved her mother, and didn't understand her father's anger.

Many years have passed; some emotions may have changed.

The father is old, the mother deceased. Each married someone else and had a happy companionship with another spouse.

Father and daughter love each other deeply; she is a saint to him, he so good to her.

But, the lingering effects of divorce remain with both of them.

I know that divorce is hard, hurtful, painful, emotional; but I do admire the divorced parent who never belittles or speaks badly of the former spouse.

Easy to say; hard to do.