A Mother's Letter to Her Son

My Dearest Bear,

Today is your last day of school. Last day of high school that is. I remember back to when I first dropped you off for your very first day in Kindergarten. I cried like a baby, all day long. You see, I knew that today would eventually come. That first day of school was the beginning and it was also the beginning of the end.

I just dropped you off for your last day of school and again I am crying like a big old baby. You cannot imagine how incredibly proud of you I am. I want to hold on to you tightly and never let you go but I also know that it's time for you to spread your own wings a bit.

I'm scared to let you go but I am also positive that I have given you absolutely every tool you will ever possibly need to make a good life for yourself.

Trust
Respect
Empathy
Preserverance
Attitude
Honor
Decency
Kindness
Humor
Faith
Love

The most important of which is love. We sure did have it rough for a while there, didn't we? It was love that got us through all of it. Our love for each other, and when that was empty, the love others gave to us. That is the biggest secret in life. No matter how rough things get, as long as you allow yourself to love an to be loved, you will be just fine.

There are so many lessons that I want to teach you but now, it's all you baby. I have nothing else for you. Every other lesson that you need to learn, life will teach you. I gave you the foundation. It's your turn to build on it.

There is only one other person that will ever come close to loving you as much as I do, or being as proud of you as I am. You haven't met her yet, but when you do, you will call her "wife." And when you do, I will hate her. I will loathe her with a passion!

There won't be anything wrong with her. In fact, I suspect that she'll be a lot like me. You seem to like dating girls that have my traits. I will dislike her for one reason and one reason only.

You won't need me as much any more. You won't need me to be your rock, because you'll have her. You won't need me to help make the bad go away. It'll be all her. You won't want to come and visit me as much, and those weekly phone calls will dwindle to monthly, then holidays if I'm lucky. And it all starts with... wife.

So know this now, and know that it is a natural part of the process. Don't worry. I'll warm up to her just as soon as I see the beautiful eyes of your first child.

I worry. It's my job to worry, so please remember as you get ready to leave the nest... remember to call and tell me that you're doing okay. Life is hard sometimes. I just need to know you're making it through all right.

My Baby Bear is graduating today. I couldn't be more proud. You fought so hard for so long for me to let you go and now it is time that I do so. I'm not ready for this yet, but then, I'm a mother. I'll never be ready for it.

Nothing is more important than your happiness. I love you. I will always love you. No matter what paths life may lead either of us on, I will always love you. You will always have home.

Always,

Mommy