Just waved the youngest off to his first day at secondary school in a blazer and backpack that he needs to grow into, had a quiet tear and walked home, alone.
Nursing a pot of tea, the fug really set in...Why do they have to grow up? Why do they not look back when they get on the train? Why do they no longer hold your hand? Why, why, why?
Why? They grow because you feed them, both body and soul. They are mighty beasts with full bellies and hearts, ready to take on the world.
Why? They don't look back as the experiences you have given them have filled them with curiosity, independence and resilience. They know you will be there when they return, to scoop them up and absorb their tales of adventure (and, inevitably, woe).
Why? They don't need to hold your hand anymore as you have given them the power to be free, to soar overhead, to be invincible. They'll be back for a snuggle when they need a soul top up.
His hand used to always hold sticks. Now it holds the world.
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