My baby brother is leaving on an LDS mission to Paris, France tomorrow afternoon. This is a bittersweet time for everyone, as we won’t see him for the next two years, but no one will experience these feelings quite as deeply as his parents, well at least one of them. When Bryan opened his mission call five months ago his father refused to be there. Not because of Bryan, but because the event would take place at Bryan’s mother’s home where he has spent the majority of his childhood years growing up. Though I’m not sure Bryan would admit this, he was deeply hurt by his father’s lack of support that night. This was something he had looked forward to from the time he was a little child and he desperately wanted both of his parents to be there for the occasion.
Time went on as Bryan and his family prepared for this new adventure he was about to embark on. He prepared his farewell speech while his mother and sisters madly prepared food for the open house that would follow. Bryan again pleaded with his father to come support him at the open house, but to no avail. He simply would not come. Though Bryan had prepared himself for this answer, he was still upset by it.
Tomorrow afternoon Bryan will be dropped off at the doors of the MTC by those who love him. We’ll say a quick goodbye and he will be gone for the next two years. His father has again chosen to be absent. As his big sister it breaks my heart to see him hurt like this. I love him and want this to be a happy and exciting time for him. While he is still excited, I’m afraid that his father’s constant absence is tainting the experience for him.
While my ex and I don’t always get along, we both are able to set those feelings aside to support our son. When it comes down to it we love Logan far more than we hate each other. We know the importance of having both of us present in his life and have made an effort to keep each other included in special events when it comes to our son. It may be a little uncomfortable at times, but in the end, we would both do anything to see our son happy, even if that means being in the same room together every once in a while.