The other day I read an article written by a college student in which she reflected on what she learned about her parents after she went to college. Basically she realized her mom and dad were real people, with genuine feelings and real hopes and dreams, not at all the people she thought they were during her high school years.
But what do parents think when their child goes off to college? What is going through their mind as they drop their son or daughter off and get in the car for the long ride home? What is it like to come home to an empty house or even a house still bustling, but minus one?
Reading Michael Gerson's op-ed piece "Saying Goodbye to My Child, the Youngster" made me remember back to when my own daughter left for college. I stoically put her on a plane and waited until I got home to dissolve into tears. The house was very, very quiet. I did my best to stay busy - and the house was never cleaner! - but like this author, I too couldn't avoid the quiet at the end of the day. I remember fielding the first panicked phone call and knowing I could do nothing but reassure her that the moment would pass, and yes she would make friends, and yes it would be okay. And you know what? It was okay.
Maybe it doesn't hit every parent the same way, but I think every parent would agree with the author:
"Parenthood offers many lessons in patience and sacrifice. But ultimately, it is a lesson in humility. The very best thing about your life is a short stage in someone else's story. And it is enough."
My advice? Well, I guess I would just encourage you to sit back and enjoy watching your own daughter write the next chapter in her story. Trust me, you will be in for an amazing ride. (And thank you, Jordan, for letting me still have a role in your own play.)
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