Let go, for things are about to get Bigger…

My son, sometimes the reason we face change is to make room for ‘more’ or ‘different.’ You are at a stage in your life where a ton of change isn’t just over the horizon of your life, but it is literally in your driveway about to park and walk in the house. Embracing change can be hard, I know. When you think about it, you’ve lived a pretty good life of 3 squares a day, clothes, a roof over your head, and people who would literally bleed out for you.

It’s a rare beautiful place you are at, standing at the precipice of change, with as many possibilities before you as stars in the sky. Home, family, and friends are baked into your DNA, just like the flavor in Grandmommy’s dressing on Sundays. These things are not here just so you will miss them when change sits beside you on the couch, but most importantly so that you will be able to bring about similar flavors with you and your family. 

Foundation.

What we’ve laid before you more than anything else is a foundation built of character as the bricks, and the love which holds it all together forms the mortar. You can’t know it, but the day will come when it seems as if you are letting go of everything you know and want, for a big unknown, but what you are really doing is making room for the next ‘bigger’ part of your life. Yes, it hurts, as we all learn, growing pains didn’t get their name because it is like a warm massage; stretching, growing, and moving on all makes room for the bigger but there is usually some pain.  

My life started in Greensboro on Pennydale drive. We three, your uncles and I, toddled and crawled, walked rode, and eventually drove ourselves through life with Grandmommy and Granddaddy, my mom and dad, holding our hands all the way, so when the day came, we would carry on not only in their memory but with the character and love they taught us, they built for us to give to you. 

Your life started off in Youngsville, toddling, walking, and yes riding your bike through the woods and trees of life, to end up here in Raleigh, making you ready for the next jump-off point. You no longer need my ‘mother and father’ type of attention like you used to. You need my experience and wisdom, yes there is ‘some’. But as I look at the man you are and the man you will be, like I said the other day, “I am so proud of you.” Why? Because you are my son and the sky turns blue because of you. 

It’s scary I know… I remember when it was time for me to sing my song of farewell and let go so I could gain, and move on so life would get bigger and yes better. This doesn’t mean there won’t be bumps, crashes or wrong turns. It just means that the small container of your life is about to get a whole lot bigger. You will leave a lot of your daily friends here to make room for not only new friends, but more friends, and different friends. Your life will take on other influences, (Pick good ones, boy!), more color and more experiences. A lesson I learned a long time ago is that God has a way of moving through life, with or without your planning, to start filling your bucket list of life goals and the experiences you believe God has for you. Too often, childhood dreams sprouted into reality like summer flowers without me even seeing that they were right around the corner. 

None of this is able to make the next weeks and months easy. I’m sharing this to let you know you are not alone, and this path you are taking has been walked by many and will be walked by many more. Your farewell song will be different than mine, just as your childrens’ will be different than yours. Just know, life is going to get harder and much better than you could ever imagine. 

And… 

It’s worth it