She swears that we don’t look alike, but everyone else looks at her and thinks she’s my clone. (If only I had blue eyes and dimples...)
You decide.
Yesterday was a great day. She passed her driving test with an almost perfect score:
We were able to spend some quality mom/daughter time together before she had to report back to school and then as she dropped me off and drove away in the Hummer by herself, I. Broke. Down.
As a Sweet 16 Milestone arrived in her life, simultaneously one arrived in mine. For both of us it was a milestone of freedom. For her – her freedom is about driving herself around town and handling her busy schedule and appointments. For me – it was about watching my daughter take her first steps all over again.
I was scared and full of joy that she was “walking” and knew that her world would forever change with the physical ability to mobilize at her will. Yesterday, I was scared and full of joy that she was “driving” and felt all those same feelings as before. I knew her (our) lives would change forever in the knowledge that she was growing up.
Bitter-Sweet.
I know that as life passes us by, she will have a multitude of other milestones – as we will too – but, I feel comfort knowing that no matter how old she gets, she will always need us – as parents – to support and love her unconditionally.
And we will.
It’s funny how you realize when you become a parent, that you are living/experiencing life through another’s eyes. You get to experience your own life as an adult, but you also get to relive and make brand new memories for your kids of things you wanted to do or see at their age.
I’m not talking about spoiling my children. I’m talking about giving them a life that your inner child gets to experience too.
One day you wake up and hope and pray that you have taught them morals and ethics and they will strive to become even greater adults. And then you move on in the reassurance that you’ve set the foundations for them to make the positive choices they know will guide the circumstances of their future.
To Kitty:
I love you.
