Thinking Is The Hardest Work

My daughters know the look. I'll be at the dinner table, or on the couch, or standing in the kitchen — and I've gone somewhere. Staring at nothing. Completely absent from whatever is happening in the room. Mid-thought on something that has nothing to do with what's in front of me. They'll say it out loud. He's gone. Sometimes they wave a hand in front of my face. Sometimes they just leave me to it, because they know from experience that I'll come back eventually. This happens regularly. I...