To Be Away

To care for my family, I must leave them. It's as simple as it is painful.

I've grown more attached to my wife and children over the past year than I thought possible in a lifetime. I now need them as much as they do me.

So here I am, on the verge of financial and professional ruin, begging for any work that will pay the bills. If I'm lucky enough to land something, anything, I am all but guaranteed late nights, long commutes and the occassional week away.

I know I have no room to complain. Most folks are already making these sacrifices to survive. I was well-accustomed to that life before this break.

But now that I know how good it can feel just to enjoy those around you, it terrifies me to be gone. I just don't know if the rare time alone with my family will be enough to satisfy them or me, to keep me going, looking at the bright side.

Enough of this! I will do whatever it takes to ensure my loved ones have decent lives. It is the way of the world, and I am enough of a realist to grasp this. I merely hope they understand, too.