Graduations: endings & beginnings

My nephew graduated from high school today. He has grown up so fast and I hardly know him. In the short time we had to visit with him and the rest of family, I learned that he is a friendly, polite and caring young man. It was fun to talk with him and see him interact with little Norah.
As we were leaving the graduation party I was overcome with tears. As usual, for me, I tried to hide them while simultaneously trying puzzle through the emotions. What I believe I was, am feeling is loss. With my mom gone, now over 10 years, it is very clear her work to keep us all in touch with each other was not taken up by anyone else in her absence.
Are we incapable, lazy, too busy with higher priorities or were we all hoping another would step in? Maybe we were all just so buried in grief and our own struggles, that we just didn't recognise what we were missing? Well, I see it now. Hopefully not too late...

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