Saying Goodbye

I can't believe once again the moment has come for my oldest to go back to school. I have watched him turn from an unsure, not so steady on the feet young teen to a strong, capable, confident, assured man. It feels like this process took forever and yet as I watched him pack up his car to return back to Starkville, it felt like a second had passed since he was a small child. There is something so awful about saying goodbye. I saw a Mom and Dad do it yesterday as they watched their oldest go down the aisle into the arms of the man she loved. Things will never be the same again. The wedding was beautiful and Liz was such a gorgeous bride but I couldn't help but watch Pat and Chet's face. Their little girl will now live somewhere else, have her own dreams, turn to her husband instead of them for MOST things. AS IT SHOULD BE, I KNOW, but still so sad to a Mom still so sad. I watched another Mother dance with her son for the Mom/Son dance. He smiled, a bit embarrassed by his Mom's tears, and yet she cried anyway. I can understand her tears. I watched as a teenage girl who is so desperate to spend just a few more moments with her brother asked to stay with him, drive home with him, be with him. She doesn't want to say goodbye. So, today I said goodbye to my little boy once again. I am so proud. I am so excited for him. He is doing EXACTLY what he needs to do...and yet as I watched him go down the driveway my mind immediately went back to a little boy who dressed in a power ranger outfit begged me not to go to work one day..."Please don't go Mommy...I miss you so when you are gone." I know exactly how that little boy felt.