College Man

JT’s first year at Springfield College wrapped up yesterday he’s happily home for the summer.  His room is once again the dark cave of boy town.  I did some cleanup work while he was away, though he’ll make quick work of messing it up again.  It’s how I know the right young man came home.

The end of this first year also means the end of his first year as a Division III college athlete.  The boy has logged in a lot of miles, first on the Fall Cross Country team; in the Winter and Spring he ran Indoor and then Outdoor Track, his first full seasons in those two sports.  We watched quite a few races and heard about all of them, nervously waiting for the race day report when we weren’t there to watch.  He made some good friends and had fun; every few weeks, he’d send me pictures of those friends.  He learned a lot and is excited by the course of study he’s chosen. I enjoy hearing about the things he’s learning; he enjoys sharing that news.

Last Summer, I nervously awaited his departure with little sense of what this next chapter of life would bring either of us.  As we both settled into our new habits it was reassuring that we found happy routines and traditions.  Those pictures he texted me showed me the face of a happy boy; one doing well. Seeing his face and feeling re-assured that he made the right college choice made the year much nicer for me.

Even as I celebrate the successful transition, I’m happy that he’s home again.  It’s nice to have his company and hear his laughter.  I enjoy cooking him meals.  We’ve both learned some things about ourselves in the last 9 months but I’m also reminded how some things don’t change: big as he is, he’s still my baby.