One of the hardest things to let go of as a parent is the belief that you can protect your child. You’re bound by love, but you have no more control than anyone else. Photograph: Agency Photos
“What’s the worst thing that has ever happened to you?” our son likes to ask. “You, getting leukaemia,” we always answer. “No,” he says, “that happened to me; it didn’t happen to you. What’s the worst thing that ever happened to you?”
He wants stories of bones broken and healed without anaesthetic, long hospital stays to match his own lived experience. Eventually my husband, P, tries to explain that the worst thing that happens to someone you love can also be your own. We’re not islands of pain; we’re connected to those we care for.
Continue Reading on The Irish Times
This preview shows approximately 15% of the article. Read the full story on the publisher's website to support quality journalism.