Letting Go

He's 16 and some say he's too young and others, well they are just not sure.......And I say only the parents know their child .....their strengths and weaknesses.....Their fears and triumphs....What they are good at and what they need help with.

7:30 A.M. yesterday morning and he's all ready to go, to drive that 1200 mile trip he always use to make since he was a baby, but now he's going solo for the first time. I was fine until he nuzzled his head into my shoulder and gave love sniffles....the way he always did when he was just a boy. My little snuggler all grown up. I try hard to pull it together while he's off down the hall hugging his sisters.....But I just couldn't dig deep enough.

We hug and kiss.......I let him know how loved he is.

A while back him and I were talking about life and why Daddy never cries........To his knowledge he has never seen his Daddy shed a tear, but what he doesn't know is that he was there when the first tear was shed over him.....the morning he was born..... Those tears of joy streamed down his Daddy's face.......And I've seen tears of pride over a son that has accomplished what most grown ups can't conquer.....

And I understand that these boys grow into men and they need to be strong, but I also know it's not weakness when a man sheds a tear........

My man grabs his 16 year old son who now towers over him, holds him tight and begins to pray, son's head resting on Daddy's shoulder......And Mama still trying hard to fight her own tears. As Daddy begins to pray for safe travel and protection over our first born...The tears well up in a man that is stronger than any one I know. And the most peaceful, angelic look came over our 16 year old boy's face.......For he didn't sense weakness in his Daddy.....He felt security and LOVE. For the first time he witnessed his Daddy's tears.....And I have to tell you it was more powerful than any moment I've ever seen with out a tear shed!

That moment...that image will be forever etched in my mind! Forever Beautiful......

Yes it was hard letting him go....Extremely hard.....But we raised that boy to be strong and to make wise decisions. We gave him responsibility and he always seem to take it and run with it......Never gave us any reason to doubt him.....Never any reason not to trust......You see Our son, the one we've watched grow into this strong sweet, sensitive, responsible young man....He has a vintage soul that's encased in a 16 year old vessel and Johnny and I, we couldn't be more proud..........

Right now as I am typing this, our boy has two and a half more hours of driving time til he reaches his destination and this Mama continues to pray for her baby boy and the tears they are still flowing...not because of worry, but because I have to let go.........