Well, I'm back. What a journey. I wish I could say I've been somewhere exotic, somewhere relaxing and fabulous, and that I had stories to tell of the sights and smells and the delicious food. I wish I had been learning to paint in the Italian countryside, or shopping the flea markets of Paris, or sipping a tropical drink on the beach in the Caribbean. A girl can dream.
My journey was a different sort, one of growing up and letting go. A motherhood journey. Both of my children are away at college. My heart is now spread out across three states, and guess what? It was big enough to stretch that far without breaking! I don't know that I have any words of wisdom to give, other than to say it will be OK. I have been thinking, did I teach them everything they needed to know? Compassion, gratitude, manners, the right fork...? In the end you say a BIG prayer and let them go. My children are happy, how can I be sad?
As I was leaving Christopher last week, we looked at each other (he had already warned me not to cry, and I didn't), I took his face in my hands and looked into his eyes and said: take care of my baby for me. He said: I will, and you take care of my mommy for me. His mommy. I will always be his mommy. Now my job is to take care of me, and to be happy. I can do that.
Anybody want to go to Paris?...