Abandonment is the ransacking of the soul. It invades the most protected parts of our heart and leaves them in tatters. Lack of emotional nurturing by a father or mother leaves a gaping hole in a child’s heart. A parent’s failing to provide for a child’s emotional needs creates gnawing questions: “If my father doesn’t care about me, am I really worth anything?” “If my mother doesn’t want to be with me, why would anyone else?”