It is not often that I get to spend quality time with my daughter. She lives out of town and only comes home for short periods of time. Some days I feel like time is running out, and I want to make the most of what we have. I wanted to walk through the Morikami Museum and Japanese Gardens once again and so I shifted my work days around and suggested to Amy that we take a bit of time out of our day to go there.
Amy has just graduated and, if all the answers fall into place, is embarking on a journey of a life time. This means we may not see her for almost 3 years. I want to take every minute of the time we have with her to enjoy her, and spend time with her. This was also a great opportunity to take photo's of her. It was hot and humid, but we persevered.
Once you start the loop you either have to go forward, or go back. We kept going forward and that, Amy, is a good lesson in life. Keep looking forward - the future is all part of your dreams.
I love this child of mine. She is a confident young lady. Ambitious and ready to take on the world. She reminds me a lot of me, but already she has done far more than I have ever done. She has achieved my dreams, to study Journalism and English. I could have many regrets but I don't, that is not to say I am not just a little envious of the opportunities that she may now explore. Amy, you have the opportunity to build bridges - use them wisely and use them well.
As a mother, I will always be nervous. I will worry about the places she may go. But we know that we have given her the best grounding we could. We know that she will use common sense when she needs it most. She will hear her fathers voice. She will probably hear me say "Use a little caution, Aim".
We found this scene with a tall tree and an interesting rock but when I looked at the photo I decided the image was in the crop. As I thought about this rock I was reminded of my solid rocks in life, my mother, my father, my husband, my kids, my mentors and close friends. These are the foundations of who I am. We will always be her solid rock no matter the circumstances.
Beautiful flowers can be found throughout the gardens. Each corner features something new. And I think about the new places she will go to. The beauty in new adventures.
We came across this little pond that was really great for reflections. Reflections are always a good measure of who we are in life. Some of my favorite measurements are "Did you show love?", "Did you listen?", "Could you make a difference?", "Did you?".
These gardens are gorgeous, the culture is so different. If Amy travels, she will find herself amongst a completely different culture, and I always want to encourage her to learn the culture, understand the difference. Ask the questions, hear their hearts.
I love this photo of Amy. I see the similarity of when she was a little girl. Even then she was fearless. She would climb the tree, and fall out. She would be the one riding the bicycle that lands in the pool. Thank goodness there was a safety net. She was the one that brought home all the crazy critters. I only thank the Lord that there were no spiders. Snakes were hard enough. She was the one that wanted to hold the gator. From the start we knew that she would the one that was going to be adventurous.
Amy is different, she is quirky, she is relatively quiet. She is passionate about what she believes in. When she speaks, she speaks with wisdom. She does her homework. She believes in what she is speaking about. I know she will always do that. Always dig deep. Always have the facts. My encouragement would be to remember to keep an open mind.
In situations where we often find ourselves stressed I try challenge myself to have fun. Find the highlights, enjoy the laughter. What Amy has chosen to do, combined with the passion she has, she will tend to look for the serious. It is easy to become frustrated and tested, and hurt for injustice. All of that is good, but it can make one disillusioned and jaded. So my encouragement would be to find time to be quiet, to find time to laugh, to find time to find joy in the simplest of things.
As Amy walks forward on her new adventures in life, I wish for her safe travels. I wish her joy. I wish her new friendships, new experiences, times of laughter and love. To know that she takes a portion of our hearts with her. To know that the door is always open. That wherever we are, we are there for her, only a phone call away.
Amy, we love you so much, we are proud of you. You are our joy, and our hearts treasure. We hope that we have adequately prepared you for whatever is ahead of you. Remember to stay in touch. Remember that I worry, that I want to hear from you at least once a week. I want it to be routine so that I never have to wonder. Travel well, travel safely, whether it is this time, or wherever life may take you. And don't forget to call home.......
"The real voyage of discovery
consists not in seeking new landscapes,
but in having new eyes"
~ Marcel Proust
"Travel makes one modest.
You see what a tiny place you occupy in the world"
~ Gustave Flaubert
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