The whole world's a critic little sparrow
Little Sparrow
On August 25 we will drop our first born, Lauren, off at Bryn Mawr College to begin her new life out of our cozy nest. This is going to be bitter-sweet moment.
So grown-up, but still my baby. On Tuesday she went to the doctor without me for the first time. She left with college physical papers in hand & her own insurance card. She needed to get an immunization, which in the past has always been an event fraught with tears, a bone crushing grip on my hand, and ending with her passing out…. every time. She didn’t ask me to go with her, I stayed close to the phone…waiting for the call that didn’t come. She did it without me. Not sure how I feel about that happy and proud, yet a little sad. Soon she won’t need me for anything.
Just 3 weeks ago I teared-up as I applied make-up to her youthful, flawless skin in preparation for senior prom. Last night I watched as the short film that she wrote & produced with classmates won several awards at our film festival. In 23 days I will watch her receive her high school diploma.
Her wings have been spread for some time now. She has been testing them from the time she was born. She waits standing on the tippy-toppy edge of our nest waiting to fledge when the moment is right.
I am as filled with fear as I am with pride. She is an amazing girl filled with talent, beauty, intelligence, and incredible strength. She’ll be fine, so will I. But be careful out there my little sparrow. As for or me, for the time being I think I’ll go paint.
I remember when my first little birdie left the nest. I cried. Then that same little bird flew back to the nest with three more little birdies. I cried.
Just kidding. I painted also, like I always do.