Let me start by saying that I am so very proud of my daughter. She is sixteen and is a strong young woman who is very adept at navigating social situations. She even applied to, and got hired at her first job, all by herself. She hopes to save enough money to travel to Japan by herself after she graduates high school. She is also thinking about living in Japan. A little closer on the horizon is a flight to see her estranged father several states away. She has never flown and has not seen her father since she was eighteen months old. Yet, my daughter, is totally excited to have that experience!
I am so happy for her……. but terrified at the same time. She is my only child. We have never been that far apart before. I won’t be there to make sure she gets to her connecting flight or help her if she gets confused about what to do next. I won’t be there to comfort her if the reunion with her father doesn’t go as planned. I won’t be able to keep her safe. I am terrified of letting her go, but I know that it is better for her in the long run if she learns how to do this alone. I have to trust her father to keep her safe while she is with him. I have to put my needs to the side. I don’t want my daughter to worry about me.
It’s not easy letting go. From taking their first steps to learning to drive, parents want to be there to cradle every fall and kiss every boo-boo. But to raise a capable,independent and confident young woman, such as my daughter, letting go is par for the course.