maclogue
Senior Prom
When the youngest child is exactly three years, three months, and three days old, you will sit in an open space, close to home, perhaps the toy strewn back yard; and you will permit yourself to close your eyes, for what you believe is one whole minute. That minute will feel like an eternity, and maybe it will last only seconds. You will have proved something to yourself. Your offspring is now old enough to understand the risks and dangers of their immediate world, you have laid some foundations and now you have to learn to trust the child.
When the eldest child turns sixteen years old, close your eyes again and remember. The groundwork is strong; they don’t know everything that you’ve learned, but they know a hell of a lot that you don’t. And yes, they know about eating a balanced diet, even if they’d rather eat only ramen, pizza and chocolate. They know about the dangers of booze, drugs, unprotected sex, sun-burn, hitch-hiking, idiots and zombies. They know that the world, full of scary and wonderful possibilities, is ready and waiting. They know you are still there for them.
So open your eyes and be proud.
Blog photograph copyrighted to the photographer and used with permission by utata.org. All photographs used on utata.org are stored on flickr.com and are obtained via the flickr API. Text is copyrighted to the author, Rachel Irving and is used with permission by utata.org. Please see Show and Share Your Work
