Tonight a parenting moment hit me and stopped time. The decision to hold on or simply let go. Our son started skating lessons. I stood by, camera snapping as quickly as the point and shoot can, as Mike got Steven all suited up. Skates, check! Elbow pads, check! Helmet, check! Let's glide...Together we helped him walk to the ice. His instructor took over. We watched in awe as he would fall and stand right back up. We saw the excitement on his face as he would take an extra step or two on his skates, "Look guys, I'm skating." At one point he came off the ice to have his mitt fixed. I took his hand to help him back on the ice. WHAMO! The moment caught me.
I knew I had to let go. But my hand was stuck. My fingers went tingly. He was pulling away and all I could do was let him go. It was time. He was confident. He knew I was there. I knew he was ready. As I type this, my hand is tingly again.
Not moments later, he came back. There was something funky with his other mitt. This time it was Mike's turn. 
Oh my gosh, this is such a sweet and slightly sad story, but you told it so perfectly that I felt like I was there and you for a moment. I don't know what else to say, I can only imagine how hard it is to let go even a little bit. My life mentor judge used to tell me stories similar to this about how hard it was to let his sons (who are both in college now) go a little more as each year passed and it would make me so sad for him!
ReplyDeleteAwww..what a precious capture of time.
ReplyDelete*sigh* He's so grown up!!!! Come back, my lil love!!
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