Essay- “Absence makes the heart grow fonder”

“Absence makes the heart grow fonder”

By Ríona Flynn 4th, class 2020

I was going on a trip to Australia with my Granny and Granda. I told my parents that I would not miss them that much, but they said, “Absence make the heart grow fonder”. I did not know what they meant and I knew that was not going to miss them that much. My 15-year-old brother Sam told me, “Don’t worry, Mum and Dad are just jealous they don’t get to come with us” I just nodded and agreed.

​Granny and Granda were waiting outside the gate for us. We got our bags and ran out to them. Mum and Dad started waving as if I was a little child who was 3-years-old. However, I was 11 and I knew that Sam was probably right; they were just jealousthat they did not get to go because the holiday was two adults and two children.

​Once we got to Australia, we went to the apartment that we were staying in while we were there. During the night, I had a dream about my parents. When I woke up it was seven o’ clock and Sam was still asleep, I crept into the room where Granny and Granda were sleeping. I whispered into Granny’s ear “can I call Mum and Dad”, Granny got out of the bed, brought me into the kitchen and gave me her phone. I called Mum and told her that I missed her and she asked me if I knew, what“Absence makes the heart grow fonder” meant. I did not so she said that it meant that if you are away you realise how much you care about the people who are not there. After the call, I gave Granny her phone back and played on my iPad.

​After that, I called Mum, every morning before Sam woke up. On the last day, I did not call her because we were going home. After going on the aeroplane, we went to Granny and Granda’s house. Then we went back to our house. Mum and Dad were delighted to see us back. Dad asked Sam what was Australia like and my Mum whispered, “Absence makes the heart grow fonder”.