"Everyday Wonders"

"I sat and gazed at his face, three feet away from me. Long ago, I used to measure the space between us in inches, when this face, with a piercing and innocent clarity, revealed his entire being. I once knew him down to his cells. I could put my hand to the spot where his curls matted in sleep, and anticipate the next thing that would come out of his if he saw a pickup truck. He's not available anymore like that, although I can sometimes guess what he's thinking about, I no longer have any clue where a thought takes him or what meaning he assigns. He's nurturing a new self, a next self, and he guards his ideas before he expresses them. I've been wondering, Do I know him?" excerpt from Susanna Sonnenberg's article "Everyday Wonders"

I recently read this article and it quickly brought tears to my eyes because the author captured one of the main concepts I struggle with as a parent - watching my children grow up and as a result slowly grow apart from me. It's natural, it's normal and it is necessary, but it isn't easy.

The author confirmed my biggest fear and also my largest source of pride. My role as parent is to prepare my child to be his or her own person. The irony in that is when I succeed in my task I will be losing the needy, clingy child that I love (though I often complain about.) My children are young, but it a process that has already started and that I can already sense.

For now, I will enjoy kissing the booboos and filling the millions of daily sippy cups. I will enjoy the incessant begging to be carried and the waking in the middle of the night. I will secretly enjoy everything about my children, even the things that drive me nuts.