A goodbye, a smile, a quick hug
one more glance around the tiny, organized room
knowing it will not stay neat for long.
Driving away slowly, I peek in the rear view mirror
sunlight is fading behind the beautiful mountains,
creating a soft glow around the campus buildings.
Leaving this idyllic scene behind
tears will not be shed,
but a heaviness weighs in my chest,
then a moment of panic: “WAIT! He is NOT ready!”
Mother’s instinct clicks into overdrive,
a premonition of challenges ahead.
Knowing my son’s new world of higher education
comes with wonderful opportunities,
yet many potential pitfalls.
Continuing down the winding road,
my brain a mix of worry and anxiety, yet, hope.
There is no other choice……always, always hope.
A silence and stillness surround me,
then eventually, a glimmer of clarity.
His path will unfold, it may be rough and rocky,
but it will be HIS path
he may stumble, he may even fall hard,
but he will learn to rise, in the mountains
forging ahead, growing into adulthood,
at a higher elevation.
Published in Mountain Places, a Poetry and Prose Anthology by Old Mountain Press, March 2019
EMY’s World 