I am like most mothers with children that live away from home….I can never get enough time with them. I remember when my oldest went off to college and I would go past his bedroom and look at the empty bed and often weep because I missed him so much.
Today, my children are grown…the oldest lives in Nashville so when I need what I call a “Stratton fix” it usually isn’t difficult..with my other two, it isn’t quite so easy! My daughter is in Michigan…not too far from Chicago…always a good spot to shop and a fun get away to spend time together when we feel the need.
My middle child lives in Santa Cruz, CA…his Christmas visit is one of the highlight of the year! You can imagine my excitement when work sent me to San José, CA this last week not far from Santa Cruz! Greg and I made plans to drive down Highway 1 to Half Moon Bay with his girlfriend and enjoy the day together…I was so excited…I could have popped.
If you haven’t ever driven down Hwy. 1 it is a must for any trip to California…something I call breathtakingly beautiful!
While flying out, my laptop decided to take a dive and die on me…not a good thing going to a corporate meeting at Apple….talk about a little rain on my parade…as we made our way to Santa Cruz, I found out that I could return to Apple the next morning and leave my computer to be repaired…not really a part of our plan, but flexibility became the name of the game. After a delightful breakfast, we put the top down on our white mustang and headed to San José. By one o’clock our hair was flying and music jammin’ as we headed down the highway enjoying the coastal view.
This day excursion was such a gift….not only for the time I got to spend with Greg and Amy, but to see Greg’s love for nature, the ocean and our environment. He has a green thumb which equates to an
amazing garden and a job that requires him to spend time around coastal beaches collecting marine data….it was fascinating for me to hear him share his knowledge of the coastal landscape, the marine life as well as the research taking place along the coast.
Over the last few days, it has occurred to me that while my role as mother has changed, I miss being involved with my children (in a healthy way). Leaving home doesn’t mean one has arrived..growing up is continual…like me, my children are learning, changing, and becoming their authentic self. My career makes it easy for my life to get so busy that I miss these changes in their lives…I want to witness as much of their story as I can.
So today, I can tell you this…I will be doing more travel to California and Michigan!
If you haven’t seen one of your children lately…maybe you should consider taking a trip.