Another life event...and in the blink of an eye

One day I'm watching her roll over on the floor and the next, she's at college and becomes an adult within the same week. It was all bound to happen. Things change. Nothing lasts forever, blah, blah. Is there any way I can come up with more clichés during this period of change?

Where did all that time go? I'm not talking about the first 18 years of my kid's life. I'm talking about the three decades-plus since I received my high school diploma. The rational part of me has that answer and it is called routine. Once I myself left for college, I got used to each school year's routine as the classes, days, test etc all started to become commonplace and before I knew it, I was out of college looking for a job. At that point, time seemed to stand still as my future looked uncertain for a bit until I arrived in the Atlanta metro area this month a few too many years ago that I care to admit at this juncture for a job.

After moving to the ATL, life's curve-balls came and went through the years and suddenly, there I am as a parent, sending my kid off to school for the first time. Of course, there will be many trips back and forth, uncertain periods in the future, but there is that one moment - that moment that will never happen again when one hugs his or her kid goodbye for that first time. Hopefully there will be many more good "hellos" and "goodbyes" in the future, but they too, will become routine.

Of course the memories come flooding back at this time. Those memories will go back in the memory vault as we all proceed with our new routines where the days will meld together, hopefully many good New Year's will be ushered in and more life happy life events will follow. It's all mixed emotions, but here's another cliché, it's the circle of life and one cannot stop any of that change.

I wrote a few years ago in this blog about another one of my daughter's birthdays. Yes, I know, I'm way too melancholy with each passing year so I've produced many of these tributes and "look-backs," but I cannot help myself.

Yes, she's my daughter and nothing will change. In fact, she'll be back. I know this when I say it and feel like a frozen PC, but this week will never be repeated for me. There is only that one first time "goodbye" when one leaves their kid at school. There is only one time when your kid becomes an adult. The rational part knows all of this, but that irrational rather emotional part is what gets a parent every time. Oh yes, happy birthday little girl (here come the eye rolls), but the truth is, you will always be my little girl and you will 'always be a part of me.'