Funny how much most of us are leaning on our parents, isn’t it?

At first, we depend on them completely of course.

And then as they slowly move into the background – as we learn independence – our dependence often moves from a physical one to more of an emotional one.

You may not live in the same town, but you can still always call and ask for advice. “How do I…”

Your parents can become your cheerleaders.

But it’s different for everyone, you know.

Good-grief, I am about to be 37 – and my dad still plays “Mr.-fix-it” when he comes over.

Here is the truth though: Almost regardless of the relationship you have with your parents, losing them is never a small thing.

No matter how old you are, everything changes when your parents die. The wall between you and death collapses; suddenly gone are the only people who could speak with true authority. My life has been spent chasing mentors, each of them being like a substitute parent, but when your real parents die, you realize certain things are irreplaceable. They go and never come back. It’s a blow. This is what it means to be an orphan.

— Jerry Weintraub and Rich Cohen, When I Stop Talking, You’ll Know I’m Dead