when your time came, it came, and that was that. You might say something smart on your way out, but you might just as easily say something stupid. - Mitch Albom

"I made the wrong choice ," I whispered.
My mother shook her head.
"A child should never have to choose."

"Tell me about your family," I said. And so she did. I listened intently as my mother went through each branch of the tree. Years later, after the funeral, Maria had asked me questions about the family - who was related to whom - and I struggled. I couldn't remember. A big chunk of our history had been buried with my mother. You should never let your past disappear that way.

When love dries in a marriage, the children become mortar for the bricks. When the children leave, the bricks just sit atop each other. When the children die, the bricks tumble.