The third in the series here and here from the Fractured Memories series, this painting is the smallest because the world without my dad seems to have shrunk a little bit, and the parent elephant has wandered completely off the path. The baby elephant remains on the path but has stalled. The lyrics to the tune “I Get Along Without You Very Well” (composed by Hoagy Carmichael with lyrics based on a poem by Jane Brown Thomson) are:

 

I get along without you very well

Of course, I do

Except when soft rains fall

And drip from leaves

Then I recall

The thrill of being sheltered in your arms

Of course, I do

But I get along without you very well

 

I’ve forgotten you just like I should

Of course, I have

Except to hear your name

Or someone’s laugh that is the same

But I’ve forgotten you just like I should

 

My mom and I are doing our best to carry one down the trail of life, but it’s hard not to feel kind of stuck right now. We’re doing fine, except when we’re not.