Thursday, September 9, 2010

Grown Too Quick

When my daughter was born, I was the happiest man in the world.  I looked forward to raising her to become an independent, intelligent, and confident young woman.  She exceeded all my expectations and made my wife and I awfully proud.

Early this morning, she got in her fully packed car and headed across country to the University of Washington to become a PhD candidate.  How's that for independent, intelligent, and confident?

As we hugged good bye, her mother was brought to tears.  I acted tougher, but the truth be known, I cried my eyes out later when my wife wasn't around. I already miss her, but I realize that birds have to eventually fly from the nest.  I only wish the last 23 years had gone a bit slower. If I knew all my children would turn out like her, I would have had ten more.

9 comments:

  1. I hear you, brother. I recently said goodbye to my son who is off to join the U.S. Navy. Bittersweet times.

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  2. As a son of proud and loving parents, the best thing in the world from them was giving me the ability to choose. So, thank you from the collective.

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  3. Ahhhh...

    But would you have loved her less if she wasn't intelligent, or if she chose to use her intelligence for something other than chasing degrees and titles?

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  4. Aww, this brought tears to my eyes. My daughter just turned one, and I hope the years go slow, but I already know they won't. The first year was over in a breath.

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  5. I'm way past college aged children, our only is 35, but those first years went fast.

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  6. Damn, you turned on my waterworks! I'm a few years away from this moment yet (mine's 2.5) but I know they'll go by in a flash.

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