In September 1983 my oldest son started kindergarten. This year my youngest son started his senior year in high school. In between were two more boys and one girl. Life was filled with firsts and lasts, pictures, memories, and chaos.
After spending my entire adult life (since the age of 19) being responsible for the guidance and nurturing of another person, come September of next year, I'll be sending my last child off to college and I'm not sure how I feel about that.
Friends are posting pictures of their son or daughter's first day of senior year along with their first day of kindergarten. Is it bad that I maybe didn't take a picture of Nikolai's first day of kindergarten? Is it bad that I can remember the outfit my only daughter wore to kindergarten her first day, but can't find the picture?
What are pictures, but snapshots of a moment. My mind is full of snapshots, a 35 year reel of movie frames that make me laugh, cry, swell with pride, and panic. I must shift the focus of my life and I'm not sure how. Oh, sure. I know it will happen whether or not I can figure out how at this moment. I guess, for now, I'm just along for the ride!
