Like this:

On Tuesday, we dropped our oldest daughter off at college.  I had joked to friends that it felt a bit like we were just playing a game since her dorm is about a mile and half from our house.  I felt nothing but joyful anticipation for her as I watched her walk away from us into her dorm.  I have no doubt that she’s going to love college.  It wasn’t until I made a quick trip to the grocery store later that afternoon that it hit me.  Yoplait was on sale and I was looking over the selection to stock up on her favorite flavors when I stopped myself and got a little misty eyed.  When I got home, I dug up a poem I remembered reading years ago so that I could have a good cry. The emotion is not sadness at all. It’s more a great sense of love and thankfulness.  I am proud of her. She has learned to ride quite well without me loping along beside her.  And I’m thankful that she has such exciting places to go.

To A Daughter Leaving Home

By Linda Patson

When I taught you

at eight to ride

a bicycle, loping along

beside you

as you wobbled away

on two round wheels,

my own mouth rounding

in surprise when you pulled

ahead down the curbed

path of the park,

I kept waiting

for the thud

of your crash as I

sprinted to catch up,

while you grew

smaller, more breakable

with distance,

pumping, pumping

for your life, screaming

with laughter,

the hair flapping behind you like a

handkerchief waving

goodbye.

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