Transitions and Passages

As I was going through one of my dresser drawers the other day, I came across the following e-mail message sent to Darling Daughter dated Tuesday, July 31, 2001, 7:33 A.M., subject: last day at work

"Dear [Darling Daughter],

"I just wanted to let you know that I was thinking of you this morning as you prepare for your last day at work.

"This is a day of profound transition -- one that you will never meet again. Granted, other changes will take place in your life, but none this important. For today you are terminating one form of work in preparation for another -- one that will be much more satisfying and important although for the next six months you may not believe me. At the end of six months you might be saying to yourself -- I miss talking to adults. I miss getting out of the house. I hate dealing with a crying and/or sick/fussy baby. I hate all the laundry. I hate the mess. I miss just picking up and jumping in the car, and going wherever I want with minimum fuss. Now, I have to pack like I'm going to Alaska just to go to the store. I hate not having quiet time just for myself with no one else to worry about.

"Just like the day the doctor told you the baby was now in a head-down position ready to be born, you are now in a head-down position ready to face this transition in your life. Not only are you 30 years old, but you are about to become a mother to a living, breathing, tiny human being that you and [hubby] created.

"I'm so very proud of you.

"Love, Mother"

I'm glad I found this piece of paper. I'm always saving things "just in case." In this case, it reminds me of where my head was back in 2001 and how excited I was over the prospect of becoming a grandmother. In fact, I actually became one two weeks later upon the birth of Little Dancing Girl. I guess I realized in 2001 that this was a period of transition for all of us and I'm happy now that I put some of my thoughts and emotions down on paper at that time.

How prophetic these words seem today as I listen to you talk about your life. With the addition of Baby Head Banger Little Sister a little more than a year and a half ago, you are now faced with many challenges -- the most important of which is determining what is most important in your life.

Since writing the above words, we have all gone through many changes in our lives -- your father retiring, my being down-sized, hubby being down-sized and going into business for himself, children growing from babies to toddlers to pre-schoolers, and brother-in-law working for hubby -- to name a few. Through it all, however, we have remained a family and continue to be supportive of one another. Isn't life sweet? Bye for now.