The Best Thing I Can Do
The ads for book bags, tennis shoes, and the fall clothing line started before the Independence Day celebrations even began, reminding us that another school year is quickly approaching. And this school year marks the end of an era for my son, as he will be a senior in high school.
I’ve been through this before.
I know how this works.
But that knowledge doesn’t make it any easier.
The process of letting go comes at different stages in life. Some sneak up on you—like when your child takes their first step—and before you know it you are forced to loosen you grip. Still others are clear markers along life’s path—like graduation—that indicate we were never meant to cling too tightly.
Of course, independence is what we strive to prepare our children for. It is why our words, “Don’t touch, hot,” evolve into, “Cook it low and slow so it doesn’t burn.” Yet, in our children’s self-sufficiency, we inevitably lose a part of ourselves—a familiar role we cherish and love. And with that loss, another realization begins to take shape … I’m getting older, too.
The fear is in the outcome. Will the children I have watched grow and mature be okay? Have I taught them all they need to know to be successful and independent? And what will I do with myself and my time when they are gone?
I don’t want to get lost in my worries for tomorrow.
Time waits for no one, and before we know it the indefinite seasons of life will fill in the unknown blanks with events and activities. I still have a full 10-month school calendar’s worth of time with my son before he takes the next step along his journey. He is already making plans for what those next steps will be, and even though I am proud of him for moving forward with his life, I know how quickly life will pass him by. Which is where my real fear lies—for both my son and myself.
We only get one chance at this life, and that chance comes and goes quickly. So that is why, before that day in June 2018 appears as if from thin air, I’m going to do the best thing I can do …
I’m going to hug him a little tighter.
I’m going to listen to him a little more intently.
And I’m going to create a space full of love and memories he can hold dear, as well as a space he can always return to as long as I am here, because the only time I have any control over is the moment I am in right now. My goal is to make every single second of it worth remembering.
No matter where you are along this journey, I hope you will join me as I use the next 10 months to blog my way to letting go. It doesn’t matter if you are single, married, a parent, or even retired. It is my hope that, together, we will find little pieces of truth that will help us stop and appreciate every moment, and especially the moments that are full of the people and things we hold dear.
Where in your life is the ever-present lesson of letting go manifesting for you, and how are you feeling about it?
