When you were younger, my darlings, I felt like nothing was more perfect than you. Your innocence and your zest for life kept me from realizing that you would grow up to be people full of flaws—big and small—just like me, just like everyone else. I saw you as doctors, architects, circus performers traveling around the world… When you were little, I never would have wanted you to bump your nose, even when you hadn’t studied enough, and I had this annoying tendency to believe (though I kept it to myself) that you were the most wonderful little people on Earth…
Adolescence is a process that will lead you to adulthood, but what I didn’t know is that it’s also a necessary rite of passage that allows a mom like me to understand that life doesn’t revolve around your navel—you, the family superstar…
For years, my whole life revolved around you, like the moon orbiting the Earth and driving the tides. Of course I could see that the stars still existed, but I was too captivated! It’s only recently that I’ve started to have time again to notice everything around me that I used to enjoy before you came along—a bit as if the city lights had slowly faded away, letting me see the sky and its grandeur once more. I’d forgotten that life is about me, too… I’d forgotten just how wonderful it can be to sleep in, just how nice it can be to go out on my own for a day to do whatever I want without any constraints… I’d forgotten that I, too, can make a mess in my living room with a canvas and paint—or any other creative project that doesn’t look like a box of popsicle sticks or a cardboard egg carton caterpillar!
It’s as if everything just fell into place naturally… Now that you need me less, I realize that I, too, needed time. I just didn’t see it before. And your little flaws and your great qualities give me confidence in you and in your ability to navigate part of your learning journey without me there to keep you from stumbling. You’re growing up so beautiful and tall, full of your own unique colors, and even if you sometimes make a few missteps, I’m always proud of you. You might not become doctors or architects—or maybe you will! Maybe you’ll travel the world with a backpack instead of joining a famous circus, but whatever makes you happy will make me happy too!
And you know, the moon is moving 4 centimeters farther away from Earth every year, but it still stays in orbit, allowing us to admire it in all its splendor!