Off They Went
Typically, I write my articles for Legacy some time in advance, or, at the very least, I get the main idea scribbled down and fill in the gaps later. Today’s article, though, is one that is fresh because it just happened hours before writing and because it is on my mind so much.
She got her license.
My little “sweet girl,” the girl who made me a daddy, is now a driver. We are so proud of her. She often puts herself down and she nearly always doubts herself, but she passed her permit test on the first try and her driving test a few months later on the first try.
So, just a few hours later, she and her brother got into a car and drove off for custard. Off they went.
Oh, they’ve been out of our sight before. For example, we don’t serve as chaperones for every youth trip and we stopped going to church camp, in part because we were at everything for years and they needed to do some things without us.
But this was different. They drove off, and something inside just hurt. Any parent who has been there knows exactly that hurt. Oh, there’s a bit of fear there, because they are on the road and you aren’t right with them. But it’s not just fear; it’s something else.
That said, it is also joy. It is a sign that she achieved a milestone. It is a sign of trust, that she can drive that big thing across our town safely. There is a joy in knowing that she, deep down, is proud of herself for having passed those tests and having learned so much in the months in-between. While there were some nervous moments, it is a joy of having gotten to spend hours with her, teaching her how to drive, how to look out for others, and how to watch for where to turn.
It is a reminder, however, that the time under our roof is getting shorter. It is a strong reminder to cherish every moment. It is a powerful reminder to not give up on discipline and instruction. She hasn’t driven off for the last time yet, so I plan to make the most of her final couple of high school years.
She hasn’t always been easy to raise, but watching her drive off was yet another reminder of the privilege it is to fight through it all as a parent. May God protect her, not just on the road, but in her heart as she continues to become who He would have her to be. And if I have even the tiniest part in that, it will have been worth all the difficult moments.
