Sorry about your loss.
I’m only 17 and I think being an only child sucks.
So this popped up again. Thank you guys, who came late to this thread. And thank you all for your kind words.
This board is great for gathering insight, and to get rid of some of one’s own preconceived notions. When I think of a brother, I think of a relationship like Niles and Frasier Crane. Some conflict, but mostly love and friendship. Maybe my view of what it really is like to have a sibling is too romantisized, since I cannot possible know from my own experience. In my fantasy world, siblings never fall out and stop talking for 15 years. They don’t fight about a will or hate the other for something that happened in 6th grade and scarred for life.
It’s getting a little easier, day by day. A lot harder on my mom, of course, but she’s coping remarkably well. I still think a larger family is a happpier place to be, as a general rule.
I to am sorry about your loss and can relate all to well. About losing a father and not being able to share the grief properly.
At the time ( 3 years ago) my famly (father,mother,sister and I) were living as far apart from each other and still be in the same country(Australia and that is pretty far) When he passed on, my fiance was back here in Sweden, so i could not confide in her and the rest of my family was 1000’s km’s apart, a hard time.
While we all loved each other, we have never been a “close” family and we got through it all, but not together. I found out via a phone call from my mother from her cell-phone in her car. Then i had to call my sister.
Now i am even further away from what remains of my family… i simply would not know what to do if i lost either of them now. I know my fiance’s family love me and have taken me in as one of their own and i love them all for it, but my flesh and blood will always be that little more special.
I guess the old saying is true “spend each moment like it is your last”
I’m sorry for your loss, and glad to hear you’re coping relatively well.
My daughter is an only child and it is sad to think that when I pass on she’ll have no-one to share the grief with on an equal footing (friends and partners can help, but they won’t have suffered the same loss). She is also quite lonely - she’d love a brother or sister. I would have liked to have had two children, but it simply isn’t going to happen. Sometimes having an only child isn’t a choice.
I can’t add much to what has already been said. Just wanted to say I’m sorry to hear about your loss.
Hang in there, Gaspode. Time makes it less painful. I’m an only child who’s had to bury both his parents before I hit age 40. It was the only time in my life I regretted not having sibs. I really would have liked there to be someone who felt the way I did upon their deaths.
But now I’m busy fulfilling my destiny as the Mercotan of Mercota, carrying on for Mom and Qadpop.
My condolences as well. Both of my parents died in the space of 5 months Sept 2001 and Feb 2002. I don’t know how I would have got through it without my sister. Probly would have killed my brother.
My son is an only child. And its doubtful that he will ever have a sibling, 40 is about staring me in the face and some other reasons as well.
Be at peace.