My son is leaving for Taiwan next week. He won't be back until next June. I know this is the normal course of events, children grow up, they move on, they go far away, but it still hit me hard. When I realized I could no longer jump in the car and get to him should he be hurt or sick, I just started crying.
Last night we had a goodbye dinner for him, and my daughter came home to see him off too. I got this picture of us, and I worried if this might be the last time I see him. You never know what life has in store, and I have led a charmed life these last 15 or so years. I just took a deep breath and plunged forward. This is the normal course of events. You can't do anything about it, and what would you do anyway, put them in a box, not let them grow and experience the world? You just let go because nothing you could do otherwise would make it any easier.
8 comments:
I know that has to be hard....But...as you say....you must let them go and live their lives. I always think of the Birds---particularly Mourning Doves, who sit on their eggs---24/7---the parents taking turns and then, the two little eggs break and the babies are born and the parents stay devoted, as they grow. Going for food; still sitting on the nest, protecting these little fledglings----then they give their babies more room to grow---watching over them as they do, and then---at the right time, watching them fly and then, fly away....It seems that THAT is exactly what you have done and are doing.....Painful though it may be, it is the order of things, isn't it?A job well done, my dear.....May he have a wonderful 9 months off there, out in this other culture---this other world.
With Skype and other miraculous things like that----you will see him, from afar, hopefully.
Hope your farewell dinner was a lovely one.....!
One of the downsides of parenthood and especially motherhood....
Thanks for your kind thoughts Naomi, yes, we will Skype. It's just one of the adjustments life asks of us.
CK, motherhood, the toughest job you'll ever love.
if we were rich we would build a mansion each family has thier own wing we would spend our time doing good things for others, because we could..... Kardasian stlye!
oh and beautiful family photo!!
why is he going to Taiwan?
Larena, his girlfriend has an internship there, he's going along. He will be there on a student visa, taking lessons in Chinese language and culture. We're hoping he'll have a very basic fluency in Chinese when he returns in 9 months. He started classes yesterday.
A knowledge of Chinese will definitely be useful in the future. Good luck to him!
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