I am grateful my girl came home safe tonight. I am grateful she comes home every night.
My teenager was in a fender bender last week and it shocked me into realization that since she’s been driving (three months) she’s come home, safe and sound, every night.
When she came home last week post fender bender, explained she was hit from behind and pretty much “freaked out,” I hugged her so very tight. I was beyond relieved that she was ok and the car suffered minimal damage.
It wasn’t until the next morning realization set in: I pray every time she leaves the house, but I take for granted that my prayers are answered. My prayers are answered every day. And oh my gosh, why am I not acknowledging this? The full weight of what could have happened hit me while I drove to work. I needed a few minutes and some deep breaths to get a hold of myself.
Parents of teen drivers know we cannot wait on shaky legs every time they leave the house. The first few times, we do. We wait. We distract ourselves with tidying up, social media and the ever helpful fat glass of wine and act like this is normal. And then it becomes easier to let go, easier to not think about all that could happen. We learn to live in the new normal. What good does worrying do? It doesn’t protect them, it doesn’t make us feel better. So we trust our new drivers, we drink our wine and we pray and trust the Universe will take good care of us. Of our babies driving the cars. And we raise our head to the sky and say thank you, thank you, thank you.
Each morning, we kiss our people, say so long and if we are lucky, we see them at dinner time. I am on my knees with gratitude tonight that my babies come home every day. I vow to write this specifically in my gratitude journal daily, just like I pray for their health and safety when they leave. Not to ward off harm, but to allow myself to fully feel the blessings of their coming home.
Did you write in your gratitude journal today? What are ya waiting for? It’s never to late start feeling grateful.
If you enjoyed this post, click on the link below to subscribe by email!
You Know Neen 