My baby boy turned eighteen a few days ago. It can’t be true, can it? I don’t feel any older, well not much older, but somewhere along the way I blinked and my son became a man. Confident, prepared, and ready to tackle the world, I wonder if the world is ready for him.
He graduates from the top high school in the state at the end of the month. Then it’s a working summer and taking care of the last minute stuff before we load the car and move him to his college dorm.
Road trip! Some would wince, but I’m looking forward to it. I always enjoy the blaring music, interesting conversations, and pure adventure that defines travel time with my family.
Other moms warned me that childhood passes too quickly. While I believed them, it was impossible to savor every moment of the journey thus far. He was my snuggler as a baby and now – towering over me – he graciously indulges me with big, comforting bear hugs.
I know only that I’m proud of the man he’s turning into and full of hope for his future. He’s a young man who knows the value of hard work and how to balance that work with fun.
He knows himself and what he believes in. He has his eye on his long term goals and he’s laid out the small steps that will get him there.
Yes, we’ve seemingly zipped through the childhood stages of big stuffed bears, science projects, 6am hockey practices, tubas, marching band, all the way to the high school graduation with honors. But what comes next will be so sweet as we support him as he goes off to meet this next stage of his life.
Live the adventure!
