Letting Go

My girl is gone.

That would be my oldest girl.

Oregon bound for a new job with her man.

She pulled out of my driveway three afternoons ago.

It felt strangely familiar.

It was the same driveway we stood in just nine months earlier
when she left her wedding reception a married woman.

This time.

I knew she wouldn't be back for a long while.  

And yes, I'm happy for her.   Yes, I'm excited for her.
Heck.  I raised her to do this very thing.  

But, to be completely honest.

It just feels strange.

It's one of the hardest parts of being a parent.

This business of letting go.

I definitely didn't get any training on this one.

Or.......did I?

Yeah.  

Truthfully, I probably did.

There was that time in kindergarten when her ridiculous teacher
wouldn't let me walk her into the school anymore.  Seriously!?  I thought
the woman had lost her mind.   She's  5 years old & can't possibly walk
into this place by herself!

Okay.

So, in fact......she could.   And did.

And I complied.    

There was that time when she was 10 and I let her go to Camp
Marietta for a week.

Then, there was her first overseas mission trip.......freshman year at
college.

First job in Charlotte....

So, yeah.

I guess my training has been underway for a while.

You love, you invest, you nurture.

They grow up.

And you let go.

Me?

I'm missing her already.

I missed her as soon as I lost sight of her car.

It's just the strangest thing.

Very strange.

Letting go.