I thought I was prepared.
People asked
''Are you excited? ''
I always answered
''Heck yes I am! ''
My ''baby-girl''
heading off to college
to become a police officer
filled me with more pride than I ever imagined.
But-
also never imagined...
the emptiness left
in her absence.
Felt immediately.
After the truckload of
''college essentials''
were carried to her tiny dorm room
we said our goodbyes
and it hit me...
her childhood is over!
There is no more time
to schedule those
''One day we'll take the kids there...''trips.
No more
''When we get the money we'll do this...''.
Broken promises
flooded my ears.
All I heard was my own voice
reassuring her that ''One day we'll....''.
The tears have dried over the past 3 weeks.
But the lesson learned
will stay forever.
I will not mourn
the death of a childhood,
I will celebrate the life
of a beautiful young woman.