Oh wow, no-one prepared me for this. We dropped off our eldest at University for the first time on Saturday and the mix of emotions I am now feeling is pretty overwhelming.
Her cohort have not had the easiest of starts. 2020 should have been a year of milestones. There were plans – exams, birthday celebrations, holidays and final year prom – none of which managed to happen the way they should have. Despite it all, she rolled with the punches and we are eternally grateful for the beautiful, healthy, fun and intelligent young woman she is.
Saturday marked the start of her next adventure. I am immensely proud of her for getting into Uni. I am in awe of her drive, determination and ability to adapt, but I am also feeling an enormous sense of loss – which I really didn’t expect.
Her brother has reminded me that “its not as though I’m not going to see her again”, which is very true, but it’s never going to be quite the same. For 18 years, as parents, we have been responsible for her, loved her, supported her, guided her, and allowed her the freedom to grow, but she’s now a fledgling adult, taking her own next steps into the big bad world and we have to let go. As a parent, that’s probably one of the hardest things I’m going to have to do and I have to admit at the moment I’m feeling pretty raw.
