When we become parents, we learn to wait. We wait anxiously for their births. We wait for them to sleep through the night, to say intelligible words, to walk, to run, to use the potty, to ride a bike. We wait for them to stop crying or throwing tantrums when they’re scared or hurt. We wait for them to make special friends, to be brave in new situations, to learn. We wait for them to try new things and discover what brings them joy. We wait as they dawdle over food, over doing chores, over finishing homework. We wait for them to read that book report book, to walk the dog, to finish projects. We wait for them to do the right thing even when it’s hard or embarrassing, to apologize when they’re wrong or have hurt another, to be kind in all situations. We wait for them to master driving (SCARY), to take pride in all work done well, to walk across that stage and get that diploma. We wait for them to pick a career, to learn how to manage their finances, to pick a life partner, to start families of their own.
The weather makes no difference as we wait. We wait when it’s hot, cold, rainy, snowy, or blustery. The location makes no difference either. We wait at their schools and practice fields. We wait wherever they need us: at home, in vehicles, in stores, in doctor’s offices, in bleachers.
We wait for them out of love, out of conviction, out of dreams, out of faith in them becoming good people. We choose to wait for them. We wait for them so we can let them go. Then we wait for them to call, to text, to show up.
For all the parents out there, thank you for waiting. Thank you for the minutes, hours, days, years. The childhood you lovingly nurtured as you waited is priceless. You might have forgotten the value in waiting, in lingering. Like with fine wine, waiting for your children is part of the process and enhances the end result. Savor every moment!
