A week or so ago I ran across this on the blog of one of my new colleagues at Sun:
To A Daughter Leaving Home
When I taught you
at eight to ride
a bicycle, loping along
beside you
as you wobbled away
on two round wheels,
my own mouth rounding
in surprise when you pulled
ahead down the curved
path of the park,
I kept waiting
for the thud
of your crash as I
sprinted to catch up,
while you grew
smaller, more breakable
with distance,
pumping, pumping
for your life, screaming
with laughter,
the hair flapping
behind you like a
handkerchief waving
goodbye.
…in other words: Ross will be attending Woodstock School in India next year.
I’m so happy I’m in shock. And, at the same time… I will miss her to the marrow of my bones. Wish us all luck.
Good luck, Ross. This will be a great adventure and experience for you!
I am happy for you both. Maybe you’ll survive the separation anxiety part of the relationship better!
Oh, dear Deirdre and beautiful Ross (i looked at the pictures)!
I’m excited and stunned and remembering . . . to both of you, CONGRATULATIONS and hang tough as you jump into the warmest, most wonderful, hardest, most wrenching process of mother/daughterhood — thrills and deep, deep joy and loneliness and an eerie distance like you never felt before; yikes. the Woodstock years.
I just had an email returned (wrong address) so came back to check you out and saw the news. At work, and can’t write more just now, but WILL.
Damn. I’m just sorry she and Ella didn’t overlap up on the hillside. Later, A
And — I just re-read that poem and burst into tears.
Congratulations, Rossella! May you benefit from every moment of this life-changing experience!
So did you like ur stay in India? Its a beautiful place with lots to see and experience
Bhavika