I am insanely jealous, in a dissociated kind of way, of people who are talking about children going off to college, off to a new city, off to marriage, off to a new job, off to something or somewhere.
I had a hard time when Josh went off to camp for the first time. Age 10, 3 weeks, 600 miles away. We had the BEST time together driving down to North Carolina. But afterward I was in a near-comatose state until he came home.
And I had a hard time when he went to France 10 days or so after 9/11.
And I had a hard time when the Quiet Husband and all three kids were Katrina-stranded and my contribution consisted of watching the weather channel and occasionally yelling into the phone, offering brilliant assessments like "TULANE WILL NOT BE OPENING IN THREE OR FOUR DAYS."
But mostly I did not have a hard time, and that was because I remembered my grandmother saying that when her boys went off, she found great joy in knowing that they were happy and well and having adventures they could not have at home. And, she added, would you want them not to?
Indeed.
I had a hard time when Josh went off to camp for the first time. Age 10, 3 weeks, 600 miles away. We had the BEST time together driving down to North Carolina. But afterward I was in a near-comatose state until he came home.
And I had a hard time when he went to France 10 days or so after 9/11.
And I had a hard time when the Quiet Husband and all three kids were Katrina-stranded and my contribution consisted of watching the weather channel and occasionally yelling into the phone, offering brilliant assessments like "TULANE WILL NOT BE OPENING IN THREE OR FOUR DAYS."
But mostly I did not have a hard time, and that was because I remembered my grandmother saying that when her boys went off, she found great joy in knowing that they were happy and well and having adventures they could not have at home. And, she added, would you want them not to?
Indeed.
6 comments:
Parenting - the hardest job we'll ever love! We work so hard to give our children roots and wings but they forever occupy a deep place in our hearts right next to God.
((((GG)))) I'd say being insanely jealous is a small response, all things considered.
Amen Jennifer. More (((GG)))
I think your jealousy is only a natural reaction.
All those separations were painful, but this one is the worst. Logically, for those of us who know there is a Heaven and our children are there, maybe it shouldn't be so difficult. But it IS. At least those other times you were separated from your boy, you could reach him by phone.
I commiserate. It shouldn't have to happen to any mother on the planet. Not you, not me. Now, we simply wait for the Reunion.
Indeed, indeed.
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