Monday, June 30, 2008

Secret, Small Sadness


Haven't written in several months here at my favorite blog. I'm not sure why, except to repeat the tired cliche that life's been busy. And time glides by much too fast.

Daily life in our home has changed greatly since the holidays, and yet, the changes are normal. To be anticipated. And wonderfully bittersweet.

Our youngest, and only, child at home got her first job in January... and wow! The responsibility of a job, and the empowering joy of one's own money, have matured her beyond our imagination. Her new self-reliance has gifted her with a self-confidence belied by a new, deeper smile.

Between work, school, activities, church and friends, we see her mainly at family dinner. When she's here.

She finished her junior year of high school with outstanding grades, and unbelievably great scores on that triad of college-bound tests: SATs, APs and IBs. So..... one year from now, we will be packing her off to college. And to beginning of her adult life.

As I write these words, Ron is driving her home from the airport while I make her favorite dinner (chicken soft tacos with all the trimmings) . She's returning from a week-long trip to the East Coast generously provided by her 31-year old-sister (my oldest) and her husband, who has relatives in New England.

Besides catching a Red sox game in Fenway Park (Ron was eating is heart out!), savoring "Young Frankenstein" on Broadway, and seeing sites previously unimagined, she toured Yale, Columbia, Brown and Tufts.

When she walks in our door 30 minutes from now, she will be different from the girl who left eight days ago. She'll be more traveled, wiser, less young.

And despite my unending joy for and pride in her, the mother in me will secretly, quietly feel a small but discernible sadness....