Every Other Weekend

The day the shuttle exploded, the day the twin towers were attacked, the day they buried my mother – none of them compare when it comes to the pain, shock and devastation I felt that night.  How could my wife of nearly 15 years suddenly stop loving me?  We didn’t fight, I didn’t abuse her physically or mentally and I was a loving father of two great boys.  How could she?  I will never know. Instead I will fast forward to June 30^th, 2003. That day we decided, or should I say, she decided that what we had was not worth fighting for. It was Canada Day 2003. The day at Little Lake Park in Midland was to be the last public appearance by the Condon’s as a loving family.  We laughed, we ran, we ate and then I said goodbye!

As soon as the boys were asleep in their beds, I begged my wife one last time to give us another chance, then backed down the driveway and drove off to start my new journey!

The first night of my new life was in the back of my dark blue Jetta TDI. Parked at the popular town dock of Midland, the hardest part of falling asleep was facing the fact that when you wake up, all the issues will still be there.

How do you explain to your children that you can’t be there when they wake up looking for a hug in the middle of the night?

Why is it that there are so many people willing to help and care for you, yet the person who you lived  with and loved for 18 years simply doesn’t?

How do you wake up when you know what is about to unfold?