The Time Has Come... WAY too Fast
A friend of mine told me four years ago to brace myself because high school goes by "really fast." I blew it off, thinking there was no way four years could rush by quickly. I couldn't have been more wrong. Seeing this picture hurts me in a very deep part of my soul.
It's not that I don't want my daughter to grow up. I really am incredibly excited to see where life and God lead her. I know there are really big things in store for this young lady. I am so incredibly proud of her. If God had said to me, "Nea, choose any kid in the whole world to be yours, the one you spend the better part of your life raising, guiding, instructing, nurturing, loving," I would have chosen the one I have. Emily is a really good girl; she's smart (graduating with a 4.0 GPA!), funny, kind, compassionate and has a desire to follow Christ's lead. She's even contemplating going into the ministry and working with youth. Her teachers tell me she's one of their all-time favorite students, and parents have told me for years how polite and well-mannered she is. Seriously... this is a really good kid! And she will be a remarkable adult.
But that's the thing... she just turned 18. She's moving out of the house. I will not know where she is all the time, who she's spending time with, when she's on the road driving her car, what her homework situation is, what time she gets home each night. That bothers me, not because I don't trust her, but because my ability to protect her will soon become incredibly limited. She is outgrowing my sphere of influence and walking out of my arms of protection. Leaving the nest. And that HURTS.
While she begins learning how to be an adult - getting ready to start her first job, paying her first bills, registering for her classes, picking her major - I begin learning how to rely on God to take care of her. I already pray for her safety and protection (several times a day). Now comes the part where I have to replace action with faith. Faith in God to lead her in the right direction, and faith in the guidance and instruction I've given her all these years. It's like taking your heart out of your chest, putting it in a car and waving goodbye. She will take it with her everywhere she goes.
I love this group of kids. These are Emily's best friends. She got teary-eyed yesterday telling me how much she's going to miss seeing them every day. In the midst of "senioritis," it finally hit home for her how much things are about to change. Even though a few of them will go to LA Tech with Emily, she won't see them all the time. As high school ends, new lives begin, with each of them following paths that will take them to different places. They will all meet new people. They will all take different classes. They will move to different places, marry different people, do different things.
But they will take with them the wonderful memories of spending time with each other, playing pranks on their favorite teachers, working on projects together. Most of all they'll remember laughing. Their memories will bring smiles. And for that I am eternally grateful.
Comments
I feel there is such a paralell between your daughter and mine in many ways. However not ever thing goes as life plans as you know.. In my case I delighted in the fact that she was able to adapt her senior year in high school in another stste from where she had spent the other two years. was even selected as prom queen her senior year.
She went on to Michigan state cheerleading all four years.. graduating with a broadcast journalism degree. All the while she was an active youth counselor at her church..Upon graduation from college she received an offer to anchor the morning news at a local CBS affiliate in Anchorage, Alaska..She was so excited about this new adventure.. Thats why I was surprised when a month after her graduation and 3 weeks before she was to leave for Alaska I recieved a call at my Plantation Trace home in Bossier City in 2005. It was my daughter's long time boyfriend ..whom I really liked..He asked me for April's hand in marriage. I wa surprised to say the least knowing that April was about to move 3000 miles from him.. Nevertheless I gave my consent. About 5 minutes after we had finished our conversation I called my daughter. I told her that her boyfriend had just called.. Then I asked her if she was pregnant. Her reply was "Yes".. You can imagine what was going through my mind. ( I thought she was being so careful.)And that wasn't all of it. Several weeks afterwards I flew April down to see me as we were planning her quickie wedding .She handed me an envelope that contained a sonagram.. She was having Twin boys.. Sorry to be so long winded but just to tell you the rest of the story ..It has been , luckily, a happy ending. April put her career on hold . My son -in law- changed from being a high school calculus teacher to an assistant Principal. I now have 2 beautiful twin grandsons (age 8) and a third (age 6)..April has managed to resume her career only now she does the weather for the CBS affiliate in Detroit. She has also taken two missionary trips . Last year it was a week in Haiti and this year she and hubby spent two weeks in El Salvadore .It has been a long tough journey since her high school years.. And definitely not all smoooth sailing.. but they have an idyllic life that many admire... You might want to share this with your daughter..or not!! Hope I didnt scare you.. but all is well here..So glad to see another entry..Have a great summer..your old Maryland buddy Rick