Moving On

It has now been 7 days, 8 hours, 23 minutes, 57 seconds since my “baby” girl has left to go to Ontario, but who’s keeping track. Although life will be a little different around here, with no one to debate (argue) with me about the little things in life. It now leaves me with only two at home, who will have to now bear the brunt of their fathers teasing and harassment.

                But wait, alas, there be the internet matey! Now you too can embarrass your kids from afar. With the internet you can tweet, blog, and make those annoying comments on their Facebook. As a parent, that is our eternal right. Don’t get me wrong, it is much more fun in person, but we as parents have to take advantage of every opportunity that arises to annoy our children. I mean, isn’t that what parenting is about, telling them what to wear, embarrassing them with the things we say to their friends, and so on.

                I will admit that I tried to keep my opinion about this move mostly to myself, most of the time. There were still some things that a father has concerns and trepidation with, like will they get enough to eat, will they be warm enough, and other assorted things, we as parents tend to delve on.

                But once we arrived at her newfound destination, all of my concerns had pretty much vanished from my subconscious. I was content, for the lack of a better word, with the situation and new surroundings that my oldest will now call home.

                It really is different this time, as there are so many ways to keep in touch, like texting and e-mail. We probably text more now, than we ever did, and when we do, it is more like they are just in town running errands. Visits home will be how I should say, more special? The way I see it, we as parents take it for granted, when our kids are still under our roof, that they will always be there.

                I was once asked by a coworker, how it feels to have a child leave the nest. I asked them how old their oldest child was. They replied nine. My answer to them was, ask me that question in another ten years. It then dawned on me that, they are not children anymore, they are young adults. And I, like my parents before me, have to let them find their own place in this world.

                So without ranting on anymore, I will close by, first apologizing to my oldest, for the nature of this post. But I will not, under no circumstance, apologize for the deep affection that I have for her. May God bless her and keep her in all of her endeavors.

With love forever from a sentimental old Dad