There was a happy day. A little boy came to live with us. We planned joyful days with this little boy. And those days did come. At first he rested in our arms. Then he rested on our laps. Eventually this little boy stood in our laps looking into our eyes and laughing. Afraid he might fall we wrapped a cord around his waist and we kept our hands on that cord to keep him safe. One day he turned away from us to look and see other things. He stepped out on our knees and made a little leap to the ground. Still we had our hands on the cord to keep him safe. As this little boy grew he began to run, hop and skip to see friends, stay with grandparents and aunts and even go on long trips and to camps far away. Still we had our hands on that cord to keep him safe and to lead this boy back to us. He had many happy summer days climbing trees, running free, sitting in a high up fort, riding bicycles, riding horses, going to fairs and playing games. Still we had our hands on that cord to keep him safe and to lead him back to us. Then this little boy grew tall and became a young man, right before our eyes. Still we had our hands on that cord to keep him safe and to lead this young man back to us.
At last a breeze began to blow through our home. On that breeze was the wonderful fragrance of adulthood, freedom and new adventures. Suddenly, this young man noticed that fragrance on the breeze. He turned to look into that breeze and enjoy that delicious enticing fragrance. Still we had our hands on that cord. As we watched, the breeze became and wind and to our amazement the wind began to lift this young man up. He looked so tall, so strong, so handsome and so confident as he began to soar on that wind. Along with others we raised our hands to clap for him. As we clapped and cheered for him the cord slipped from our hands. A few frightening moments passed, then we smiled. The cord around his waist was gone, but we realized that we still held the cord to his heart to keep him safe and lead him back to us.
To Phillip for Graduation from High School, May 27, 2005. Somehow now that Phil has started the Big Adventure of his life it seemed right to think about this again. Love, Mom and Dad
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I really like this.I think as parents sometimes it's hard for us to drop the cord and just watch, but that's really our job. We train them to be independent and be on their own.
