Four Weeks Until She Leaves for College

And I think I'm already grieving. My daughter Madeleine starts at Wellesley College on the 25th of August, less than four weeks from now. She just returned from visiting friends in Paris and London - she's travelled to Paris several times and is fluent in French - but this was her first time travelling without an adult (parents or teachers) to intervene when the inevitable travel problems arose. I think I can say I've trained her well and she is confident in herself, because she dealt with various delays and cancellations with competence and maturity. She also had a great time on this well-deserved trip. And my husband Barney and I enjoyed ourselves, doing some things we have not done in a while, trying out new ventures like the Fire Arts Festival at the Crucible in Oakland, new restaurants, sailing in the tall ships parade, and more. I'm beginning to glimpse what it was like years ago before Madeleine was born... something we'll be learning a lot more about in the years to come. It's interesting how when a child has been such a big part of your life for 18 years, it is hard to imagine what it will be like when she is not there (almost) every day, enjoying the laughter and silly moments as well as the emotion and challenges. I'm sure there will be some serious feelings of emptiness - somehow I really dislike the phrase empty nest - feelings that as a young parent I could not have possibly imagined. Barney and I are incredibly proud of her and are confident she will do well as she launches into this new phase of her life. It does make me recall what it was like in those breathless early days of young adulthood when everything seemed new and possible ... and the possibilities are much greater for her than they were for me in 1974. So I will try to revel in her excitement and new achievements, allow myself to miss her loving companionship and sparkling personality, and hope that the love and guidance we gave her growing up will be a strong support in the exciting years ahead.