Sugar And Spice, And Milestones And Turning Points, That’s What Little Girls Are Made Of
This weekend is one of the biggest weekends in my life, but nothing compared to what it means to my daughters. I speak often of my milestones as a cancer survivor, reaching time periods and goals that at one point, could only have been hoped for, eventually reached.
Of course my daughters have had their share of milestones already in their youth, first steps, first words, first days of school, proms, and graduation days. Just as important as milestones, are turning points, that moment, when a decision is made or an action that is taken, makes an impact on the future, hopefully leading to the fulfillment of a dream or goal. I know that I can reflect upon my turning points in my life.
This weekend, both of my daughters have reached a turning point in their lives. Both have done well through their youth, in spite of the challenges that they have faced, especially with having to deal with my health issues. I have always been of the mindset, that I wanted my daughters to have it better than I did, to start their lives in better shape than I had the chance. And though the roadmap of that plan is not the way I had intended, I have done all that I can.
Both daughters are beginning their next semesters at college with different paths, though each path will have a major impact on the next step of who they become, and how, their turning point. When they look back in their lives, it will be this weekend that they can say, “this is when it happened.” One daughter has a labor-intense influence through career guidance this semester, where she will get a first hand taste of what her future career will be like before she even graduates college. The other daughter is embarking on a journey across the globe, for a worldly influence on her future career. She will return at the end of her semester with a viewpoint like no other.
Both daughters have immense turning points being established this weekend. What is even better, these turning points are all them, one hundred percent. This is what they wanted, and wanted to do. All I could do is fall back on what I have always said, “I wanted better for them,” and I would always support them in whatever they do, and do what I could to help them get there.
This may be their turning points, but they are also milestones for me that I had not realized. Perhaps I was reluctant to realize these milestones, as it meant that my daughters have grown up. And while I know my daughters will always know I am there, it is no longer to make decisions for them, but to remind them who they are, and the decisions that they make, are who they are.
Yes, my eyes are a bit moist this morning. But it is because I am so proud of my daughters.
Paul's Heart 