Remind me that you’ll be with him, especially when he feels alone.
Remind me that your love for him is even bigger than mine.
Remind me that I’ve done my best to raise a young man who follows you.
Remind me that letting him go is a much better alternative to letting him live in my basement forever.
And while you’re at it, please remind him of all of the above too.
Lastly, please give me the strength to celebrate this milestone without ugly-crying during graduation. I’d prefer not to show up in family photos of this special day with a streaky-red-puffy-post-meltdown face.
Because I want him to know that I’m more proud than sad. I want him to know that I’m more excited about what’s next than afraid. I want him to know that I believe in him. And I want him to know that I believe in YOU.
Lord, in your mercy, hear my prayer.
P.S.—Please, PLEASE keep the rain away during our graduation open house celebration, because I forgot to rent a tent and 150+ people are just not going to fit inside our home.
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[This article by Kami Gilmour was originally published with permission. It’s now an excerpt from a chapter in her new book, Release My Grip, Hope for a Parent’s Heart as Kids Leave the Nest and Learn to Fly
