Monday Finds Me Torn Between Two Emotions

Monday, May 13/19

I find myself torn between two diametrically opposite emotions thanks to my son.

You see he left on holiday this morning for a week in Punta Cana down in the Dominican Republic.

There's a group of 5 of them who have gone down and I know all of them in one way or another, one from his years playing hockey, two from having played on a soccer team with him that I coached, and one from his high school. All of them are good lads in their own ways.

So what are my opposed emotions?

Excitement and bone wrenching terror.

I'm excited for him taking his first independent holiday, one he researched on his own and booked through a travel agent known to the family, one he organized with his buddies, and one he's earned after a tough school year that included a breakup that left him more than a bit down in the dumps.

I'm terrified that neither his mother or I will be close enough to help if anything bad happens. I know that is kind of an irrational thought but tell me when any parent hasn't engaged in such thought where their children are concerned and I'll show you a liar.

Help me out here readers, share with me your own stories about when someone close to you ventured out for the first time and how you handled it, I can really use some reassurances this week as I'm sure it's going to be one long damn week for me to endure.

His mom drove him and one of the other lads to Montreal last night as that is where they are flying out from and I'm picking them up next Monday around 5 pm eastern standard time. I'm going to try my best not to crush him to my chest in a hug when I see but not making any promises.

This is one of the milestone events we as parents have spent years preparing them for and yet I don't think we really consider what it means to us ourselves, we all want our children to be able to move forward through life without needing us and at the same time that same act means part of our own purpose has been fulfilled, leaving some of us to ponder what will fill that place in our lives.

I'm not implying our kids aren't part of us anymore but lets face it, once they taste that freedom they'll strive for it more and more, as they should with every fibre in their bodies, leaving us to face the whole empty nest syndrome. Something I'm actually kind of facing these days anyways given how little I do see my son between his school schedule, work, and social commitments.

Sometimes I feel like I need to schedule time with him so we can catch up with one another, does anyone else ever feel that way too?

It's going to be a long week but I'm sure I'll get through it and can't wait to hear some, likely not all, of the stories from his time down south on his own.

My name is Marcus and I might have shorter fingernails before the week is done ;-)

ooasm2018@gmail.com is the place to send any comments or questions.