Time is an interesting thing. As modern, progressive humans, we have harnessed time by defining it in such a way that we can all agree on the details. There are 60 seconds in a minute, no matter where in the world you find yourself. There are 60 minutes in an hour, and 24 hours in a day, all 365 days a year. We have even accounted for the fact that it's not exactly that way by adding a leap year day every few years to even things up and make it nice and tidy.
And yet, time is flexible. We have all experienced how the clock seems to speed up when we are having fun, but moves almost imperceptibly when we are experiencing a difficult time.
And in the toughest of times, it seems that time itself goes both too fast and too slow, and you don't have enough of it while it drags by.
We are experiencing that last time warp around here this week, as my two children prepare themselves to go in opposite directions on the map and into the same new experience - a new school, a fresh start, and all the excitement that comes with it, while leaving behind everything that is comfortable and familiar and safe.
My son will begin his work towards his Ph.D., a path which he was destined to travel his entire life, although he didn't realize it himself until a couple years ago. He is, understandably, a little nervous about the change from the comfortable life of an undergrad in a school where he is well known and respected to a school where he is starting from the beginning. In his new program, he will have to prove himself once again, demonstrating that he is worthy of the awards and honors that they have already given him.
My daughter is embarking on the first big step away from home and into the fun and chaos of college life. She will be far enough away that she will be independent, on her own, and there will be no impromptu visits going in either direction. She will learn to live with roommates, navigate her own classes, learn to budget time and money, and experience all the fun that is a part of being a college student.
It truly seems like a heartbeat ago that I carried them next to my heart, and now I see them, each adults in progress, making their own way in the world without me to guide their path. It is exciting to see the transformation, and I look forward to watching from afar as they have new experiences that no longer include me, and learn things that I never knew.
Once you are a mother, you are a mother for life. I will never stop giving my best advice, challenging them to be the best they can be, prodding them to set high standards and reach for their own stars. I will always be there when they make their own mistakes, fall short of their personal best, trip over the hurdles, and run out of fuel halfway through space.
The old saying goes, life is a journey, not a destination. As each child journeys forth in the coming days into their own new worlds, I hope they know that they are never more than a heartbeat away from the safety of their mother's love and support.
We are a terrific team, we three. No matter where we are, no matter how far we go, the family circle is still surrounding us with love and caring and support.
I loved you enough to bring each of you to this day, and now I love you enough to release your future into your own hands. Go forth boldly and embrace the possibilities. You will never know what is out there unless you reach out and grab the opportunities that present themselves with your whole beings. Time has moved at warp speed, and you are on the threshold of your own experiences.
Live boldly, love fully, laugh loudly, learn enthusiastically, listen completely, and lean wisely. Guard your values and your reputation, and you will have no regrets. Your own life is knocking at the door. Open it and walk confidently into your exciting futures.
Just don't forget to wave once in a awhile!
