Parents can pack a lot into a life: sign kids up for activities, drive them around to travel sports, desperately squeeze in family dinners, arrange the play dates, teach them how to do this and that. And finally, host the graduation open house.
It happened.
High School graduation is a new milestone in our family. Our first born graduated early in his rush to be an adult. Following his lead, we hosted a very small open house in our living room, enjoyed his favorite foods, walked back in time through the baby books, and marveled at the man in his senior pictures.
An open house is like hitting a pause button, instructing the graduate to wait here for a moment to let it all sink in.
Milestones offer space to reminisce. “Remember that sleepover when you turned six, and I let you invite six little boys because I didn’t know any better?” “Remember your K-5th grade teachers?” “Remember when you tried that sport?” “Wait here while we remember.”
Of course, we can only wait here for so long. We hold onto those old stories like a hot potato knowing eventually we need to let them go, both the stories and the boy.
I’ve learned more than I could imagine in these days since his open house. I now know this is an exhausting milestone! I am weepier and wearier than I expected to be, more uncertain of how long this particular grieving process will take. Whenever we let go of something familiar or significant, this is called grieving. Grieving is the practice of letting go and holding on, it is something parents must do on the regular: letting go of the boy and holding onto God’s promise that God goes with the boy from here.
Meanwhile, God sticks around to hang out with the weepy woman. God has seen this episode before and knows when to hand her a tissue. And therein lies the promise. Throughout our lives, we humans get a great deal of practice letting go, while God does the hanging on.
Photo by Gerhard Reus on Unsplash
Lisa Lewton 
Lisa, Oh, can I feel your pain and grief. After all those years of work, hoping and praying that they will become good people and people who can become productive citizens, it is hard to let go. I went through it three times and it did not get easier…. But, you will survive and, I hope, have much to be proud of. Tom has a plan and a goal and I am sure with his work ethic he will go far on the path he has chosen. 🙏🙏 for parents going through the transitions in their child’s life.
Carma
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It’s a journey… one day at a time🤗
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