The Collateral Damage of Divorce

This is my grandson, Boston.  He just turned 3 and is ALL boy.  As long as he can play outside, he is a happy camper - and if involves dirt or trucks all the better.  He is SO funny and the stuff that comes out of his mouth makes me almost fall on the floor laughing.  Boston is the joy of my life and I adore every moment I get to spend with him.

But this picture of Boston with his first fish at the Bass Masters Fishing Tournament makes me a bit melancholy.  Seeing him holding the fish reminds me of my granddaughter, Olivia, and how she loved to fish and her Little Mermaid fishing pole.  She was 4 the last time I saw her.  We finished off the afternoon with her sitting in my lap reading a book to her.  That was over a year ago. 

Thanks to all the nastiness involved in the divorce from TheColdOne, I don't get to see Olivia now - she is actually the daughter of TheColdOne's son.  Since Olivia's mom and dad are listed as witnesses against me in the divorce hearing, I can't open myself or my life up to her parents right now.  Thus - no contact with her.  I send her cards and presents but don't hear anything back.  But that's okay - I will continue to send cards and presents because Olivia will always be my granddaughter - I was there when she came into the world and have always been her grandma.

Sigh... I even had a reflective thought about TheColdOne when I saw this picture of Boston.  One of the first things that popped into my head was how much TheColdOne would enjoy spending time with Boston.  He was always a good granddaddy and Boston would definitely keep him entertained.  The love of outdoors would fit right in with TheColdOne especially with Boston's happy-go-lucky attitude. Sadly TheColdOne dismissed Boston as "Robin's grandson" in the document splitting up the possessions.  He never truly loved Boston the way that I love Olivia so I don't know why I would even think about it. 

TheColdOne tossed my children aside much like he did to their mother despite the fact that they both thought of him as more of a Dad than their biological father.  He even hot-footed it out of a local restaurant when my daughter walked in to meet her boyfriend for lunch.  No greeting or acknowledgment of her presence - just left quickly.  My daughter would not have made a scene or been impolite - she actually was a bit hurt that he refused to even acknowledge her.

Oh well - I know this is all part of the divorce.  The collateral damage is vast - it doesn't just involve the two divorcing parties.  That is the saddest part of this whole situation.