Sunrise, Sunset

It is triple handkerchief week at the Blog, and so the theme of children growing up and leaving their parents seemingly in the midst of a diaper change continues. My friend wrote to me today to tell me her son passed his driving test. No more chauffeuring him to band, karate, youth group, friends, etc. etc. I remember those days when my pillow and change of clothes were stored in the car, since I rarely left it.

But in the next line, my friend continued, No more long talks alone with my son as I drive him to endless places.sniff sniff.

Some of my happiest memories are those interminable car trips, carting my boys to math and debate competitions. The only time I recall Anders, my quiet oldest, ever really talking to me is when we were in the car, driving somewhere. On the way to contests, there was the excitement, the nervousness, the anticipation. On the way back there was the exultation with victory, the commiseration with defeat. Some of life's best lessons with my children happened in the car.

I was the one who taught them both to drive. I taught them on a stick shift, as I believed that knowledge might come in handy should ease and comfort in new automobiles ever go the way of the dinosaur. I had to squelch my natural tendency to scream and cover my face with every curb we almost missed.... I sat in the DMV, one of the most shining examples of why we do not want the government to take over health care, waiting for endless hours for them to return from their driver test, and then I was there as they walked in with the tester, sheepishly smiling as the tester gave me a thumbs up.

I was there, peeking from behind the curtain as they drove off all alone in the car their first time. I was the one, hiding in the bathroom crying and praying that God would protect them as they were out of my reach now.

So I feel for my friend. It is a great day, but a bittersweet one.

Proverbs 17:6
Children's children are a crown to the aged, and parents are the pride of their children.