Hand in Hand

The school where JT has attended class for the last 11 years figures large in our world because of its daily presence in our lives.   Everywhere I look on the campus is a reflection of his past, his present, and his future.  And try as I might I cannot quite believe that he is a tall 14 year-old about to start the adventure that is high school.  College will shortly follow, a fact that looms large in my mind.  I was thinking of this on Thursday, as my boy strolled off to freshman orientation.  He walked through the doors of the Upper School on his own, the result of a confident independence grown in the halls and sidewalks of this campus.  

Once upon a time, we made those walks to school together.  I had a hand in walking him through the doors of the Lower School, from the pre-K classroom where we hung up his backpack, stowed his lunch, and made ready for the day.  The next year, he held my hand as we walked to the Junior Kindergarten room where I helped him set his things in a cubby while he walked confidently through the classroom door by himself.  By the next year, my independent 5 year old ordered me to watch him walk to the door of the building.  Then he took care of the rest, calling “I love you Mama,” as he pulled open the big door that led to the wonders and accomplishments of kindergarten.  He’s since been through plenty more classroom doors on his own, growing up so very quickly.

On Thursday as he set off to 9th grade orientation, my head reminded me that JT’s been walking himself to class for quite some time.  But my heart feels like it was just a few minutes ago that I walked an eager three year old to school for the first time.  And my heart and my head agree that the next four years will fly through my hands.