This year, our daughter, Sam, turns 25. I have to keep reminding myself that I am old enough to have a child that age, although I could actually have one much older, but that’s another story.
For good reason, I have not shared much with my daughter about the fact that I spent my entire 25th year living onboard a sailboat and actually sailing through the Caribbean during some of that year. My parents could only communicate with me by sending letters to
General Delivery Key West, Miami, Nassau, San Juan. . .you get the picture. (You can read my journal entries, presented in weekly installments, in reverse chronological order on my
Tumbler site, if you are so inclined. Click on the tag,
Ship’s Log to get to all of them). Except for one raging storm that lasted a few days, during which I had to use seasickness suppositories to keep from becoming too dehydrated since I couldn’t keep anything down, it is actually pretty tame stuff. What I am sure was not “tame”, was the angst I caused my parents and family, wondering where I was and what I was doing, or even if I was still alive. I can’t imagine how I would feel if our daughter suddenly left the country and I was not able to get in touch with her easily. Times are different now. I'm not just saying that because I am old (older). When I finally flew home to Ohio, the entire family—orchestrated by my mother, I’m sure—was at the airport to greet me. It was a clear message to me that I was loved and missed. Oh, and by the way, I wouldn’t trade that year for anything.
What brought this to mind was an article that ran in the Dayton Daily News yesterday written by Dayton writer, Sharon Short. It made me think of being a young adult myself, and. . . of having my own young adult who, like Sharon’s daughter, occasionally worries about the parentals! You can read Sharon’s delightful article at the
Dayton Daily News Site.
I am sending my 21 year old off to her last semester of college tomorrow and your writing hit close to home. Thanks for your stories and insight,Grace!
ReplyDeleteThanks for commenting Dina. It does start to hit home when they finish college. It's wonderful--and scary--to watch them grow up...a kind of yo-yoing between adolescence and adulthood. Their needs change so much and I think that is the challenge, figuring that out.
ReplyDeleteLove that picture! I think its awesome you spent a year on a sailboat... I have such a "cool" mom! LoL
ReplyDeleteAwe, and I have a "cool" daughter. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteMore memories flooding in:you were right about the angst,some but not much on my part,I was thinking about the fun you must be having.I do remember your guitar that you brought home,somehow it ended up with me.can't quite remember if I bought it or you gave it to me.I do remember Dan talked me into loaning it to Brett.he wanted to learn how to play.I told Dan I wanted it back ,because it meant a great deal to me.
ReplyDeletehmm!! wonder if Brett still has it?