Post Incommunicado Post

I’ve been incommunicado for a few days. No convenient time and place to sit and compose. On Friday, my son graduated (with honors) from basic training. It was one of the best days of my life. It’s incomprehensible how much joy you can derive from the successes of your children. My joy is not for what it means to me, but for what it means to him. He’s responsible and independent. To see your children take responsibility for their own lives and stand alone is a great reward.
A reward that follows all of those days and nights of worry, the arguments and the uncertainty of when to be firm and when to give ground. It’s a big report card for all of us that had a hand in raising him. As complex as the task was and as mean and dangerous as the world can be, we helped produce an intelligent, responsible adult in just 19 years.
He’s gonna be alright. He can handle whatever gets thrown at him. It’s a signal to stop worrying. Gonna have to find something else to spend that portion of my time on.

I'll publish a picture when I have one.