HEART
We love with our whole hearts. As women, we embrace, we hold, we love, we encourage, we give freely to the relationships in our lives. This is the gift of life. This is the gift of doing life with other humans. It's complicated, it's messy, there is never enough time but as a friend once said, "people are always worth it."
If you have had the joy of raising another human in this world - be it a child, a grandchild, a niece or nephew or even mentored a young gal in ministry, business or life - there comes a time when there must be release. It's a natural part of most relationships. We move away, our season of life changes, our jobs change, our paths cease crossing.
This is by far the hardest part of the relationship. A necessary ending or change.
This weekend we launched our oldest, the one who made me a mom, to college. As a high school student he boarded at a fantastic school in Huntsville. Every year since he was a freshman in high school we have loaded his things, moved him into a new facility, and left him with prayers and hopes of a great year, knowing that we would miss out on plenty as parents but also wildly hopeful that he would grow in ways that we could not imagine.
We were right. For four years we saw him mature and turn into the most wonderful human.
However, he still came home once a month, on breaks, during the summer. We were still his people. We were his home.
As another mother at the boarding school and I were reflecting today on their college arrival - now it's just different. Because we know that it'll never be the same.
Obviously this is all developmentally appropriate and we are super proud and we know we will see him again, and plenty. This is not the end of the story. But it is the end of our season of parenting a child and young adult. Now we switch into parenting an adult. It's just different.
The grief has hit, as it should. There is a curve we will ride up and down willy-nilly from sadness to anger to denial and everything in between.
Yesterday it was sadness at the hole and void in our home. Today it joy for where he is and what will come. Who knows what tomorrow will bring.
Ecclesiastes 3:1 For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven:
2ba time to pl ant, and a time to pluck up what is planted; 3b a time to break down, and a time to build up; 4 a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; 5 a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing.
It feels like an opportunity for great gratitude. What else is there to do? Weep and gnash the teeth at his absence? As none of us are assured tomorrow, today I choose thankfulness:
Grateful for this child who has become a wonderful man
Grateful for his faith
Grateful for his maturity
Grateful for his opportunities to come
Grateful for the moments we have had together as adventure buddies
Grateful for the 18 years we have had with him ... and so much more.
Who do you carry in your heart that you just miss like crazy?
Comentários