My daughter is in despair: tears and searching for life’s meaning
I am a mother of two children — a son and a daughter. I’ve been a widow for many years now. My husband was fortunate enough to see our grandchildren’s birth, but sadly, he passed away before our children decided to tie the knot.
In our family, tradition has always been important. We believed that if two people loved each other and wanted to be together, then an official union — whether civil or religious — was necessary.
However, my children had different ideas. Every time I tried to persuade them to make their relationship official, they just chuckled, labeling my beliefs as outdated. They assured me that their love didn’t need stamps or ceremonies, and that a marriage certificate wouldn’t change their feelings.
But unfortunately, life cruelly confirmed my fears.
One early morning, I heard a knock on the door. Standing there was my daughter, Emily. She held a suitcase in one hand, her three-year-old daughter in the other, while her baby was asleep in a stroller beside her. Her eyes were full of tears.
“Mum, can we stay with you for a day? Tom threw us out… He’s with someone else now…” her voice quivered.
I was shocked. How could he do such a thing? Emily had given him two beautiful children! I wanted to march over and demand an explanation from him. But seeing my daughter’s state, I embraced her, kissed her, and decided not to raise the issue at that moment.
Emily graduated from a teachers’ college but never started her career. Her common-law husband, Tom, insisted she stay at home:
“I don’t need your money. I want to come back to a cozy home, eat home-cooked meals, and have clean shirts. I’ll provide for our family.”
I decided to call Tom. I asked him about the family and the future. He calmly answered:
“My heart belongs to someone else now. I’ll support the kids, but Emily is the past for me.”
Since then, he sends us a small sum each month. My pension barely covers all of us. Emily is in a state of depression, constantly crying and not seeing any hope for the future.
Now, she’s realized just how important it was to make things official. Marriage is not just a symbol of love but a protection, especially for women.
I reach out to all parents: persuade your children of the importance of marriage. This ‘trend’ of living together without commitments can lead to tragedy. Families should be grounded in traditions and laws. Only then can we protect our children and grandchildren from such hardships.
