As the view changes through my window with the seasons, I am reminded how life changes seasons.
Once upon a time, there was a young mum with two small girls. They started on an exciting homeschooling journey and learned many lovely things through unit studies, play, reading many wonderful books together, taking long walks out in the country and getting messy hands in a myriad of fun hands-on activities.
Now one of those small girls is about to embark on a new college adventure and the homeschool shifts into a new season,a season with just one student. Our days look different now, not only because it's just the two of us, but because the path this young lady wants to follow is different to the one her sister wanted to follow. This young lady has hopes and dreams of attending a university. That means we have lots of hoops to jump through, expectations to meet and certificates that 'prove' she is educated to attain.
It's true - it was so much simpler when they were small. It was easy to keep them safe and tell them what it was they were to do, wear, eat, go. Sometimes this 'grown-up' world can be scary. But most of the time it is exciting! New dreams to be lived, to experiences to be had, new people to meet and a way to forge in the world.
It is easy to slip into a melancholy way of thinking as our children fledge the nest, but as a good friend reminded me, these are exciting years full of promise and opportunity. I am not loosing my children, instead I am gaining two wonderful young adult daughters who are well adjusted, happy, content and ready to face the world with confidence.
I have said many times before how much I appreciate the uniqueness of each season, the same can (and should) be said of living. Our season of raising little ones is over, we are coming to the end of rearing teens (two years that I will savor), in a few years our chicks will have fledged, then it's time for husband and wife once again to live their own dreams. Their together dreams. The ones that they spoke of on their wedding day. Some goals achieved, more to reach for.
Such is the circle of life...
Wonderfully written and said! I hope that the new seasons of yours and your daughters lives will be wonderful and interesting and inspiring and that you will all be very happy indeed!
ReplyDeleteThank you Amy :)
DeleteRight there beside you friend, right there beside you. One daughter off to college and one at home. Printing this off to keep me sane....
ReplyDeleteThanks for such good words from the heart!
It can be hard can't it Penny? Sometimes when I feel that I must be the only one to be feeling sad about letting go I purposefully remember that I'm not the first mum to have to let go and I certainly wont be the last. Then I look at those women who are further down the line of life than I am and I see them living happy fulfilled lives in a new season. It's the natural order of things. I remember when I was 18 and excited about what life had to offer and I know that I cannot be sad for long, for those hopes, dreams and excitements rest within my own daughters too. Sending you hugs :)
DeleteThat time of raising your children is such a special time. So hard to watch it end. I would go back in a heart beat. Wish I knew then, what I know now.
ReplyDeleteIt really is a special time Kat. I'm so SO glad that we home educated and that I got so share so many precious moments with my children. I wouldn't change the way we did things or the decisions we took for anything in the world. I agree - if there was a reset button on our children's childhood - I'd be the first to hit it! :)
DeleteIt is hard to let go but they know that they are loved and love you enough always to keep coming back. I am blessed with 3 grown daughters who all went to university and now have families of their own they are still and always will be a big part of my life. My husband and I are now fulfilling a lot of our own dreams, both of us taking early retirement and living life to the full.
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing this with me, its knowing that this is true in other peoples lives that takes away the sadness and brings hope, peace and joy to my heart regarding this life event. Hugs ☺
DeleteIt's a lovely post. It is hard to let go but it's wonderful to watch them fly. My 'baby' just graduated university in December. She decided to stay in the city where she went to Uni. It wasn't easy at first. She's my only girl (the other two are boys)and we are pretty close. I wondered whether we would lose that closeness. We haven't. We may not see one another as much but she rings at least every other day and there is rarely a day goes by when we don't communicate. That is one reason I like my cell phone so much. If I see something I think she likes or would find funny, I can snap a picture and text it off to her.
ReplyDeleteHer wanting - willing - to explore the big, wide world is testament to you doing a great job raising her knowing that you'll support her choice (near or far)
You're right, growing up is hard. My firstborn just completed his third year of university and now my youngest just graduated high school and is headed off to college. Our nest will be empty in 2-1/2 months. I try to stay positive about it all, but it sure is hard to let them go.
ReplyDeleteJust popped over from "Amy's " but now following, what a lovely blog..looking forward to catching up on the posts. Mx
ReplyDeleteThank you for popping over and thank you for following.☺
DeleteI loved every season of childhood, teenhood and young adulthood. I find it made me a better parent and I enjoyed seeing them grow their wings and flying. I treasure that they still like to come home as well :)
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