Look How He Soared

by Kara Lawlerin Uncategorizedon Posted on

6-20-16

Up, up, and away. I let go and look how he soared.

When he landed from his parasail ride, he asked me if I had been afraid when he was in the air and I answered, “yes.” He then asked me, with incredulous eyes, why I let him go. I let go today, just for a while, but I did it all the same.

I let go because sometimes, we parents just must let go, even if it scares us. And after I let go, the fear quickened in my chest but I endured and I’m less scared now.

…

I let go because in doing so now, I will show him how to do it again and again, becoming an adult who can take care of himself. And while I am here now to hold on, slowly, we teach our children how to let go. We must and while I’m sure it’s never easy, we learn how to let go even more.

I let go and saw joy in his face as his feet lifted from the boat and again when his face was close enough for me to see, as his feet dipped into the Atlantic Ocean. Pride was in that toothless grin–so much pride and I had to let go for him to feel it.

I let go because I needed to trust my husband and my father, wedged on either side of him in the parachute–now in a literal sense and always in the parachute of life. He has strong men as his example and he’s eager to follow in the moments if and when I let go.

I let go and I didn’t want to. I didn’t want him to go 600 feet into the air. I didn’t want to trust anyone with my precious boy, but I let go. And I’m glad I did.

I let go and look how he soared. Look at him fly.

Thanks for Mothering the Divide with me today, on a day when I let go, just a little. Day by day, we let go and look at our children soar, my friends. Up, up, and away they go. Look at them go. Just look at them go.