Skip to main content

Moving Day

The little girl who watched her mother pour loose change into the coin machine at the grocery store is moving into her first home today. She and her husband are now homeowners.

This little girl always got her Easter dresses at the Wise Penny second-hand store run by the Junior League. She never really had an allowance. She never got to shop at the Mall just for fun. She got a full scholarship for college and rose above the craziness of joint custody and financial instability: local girl makes good.

This little girl is not a little girl, but a young woman full of ability and promise. She can plan a move, cook a meal, write a blog post, mentor a teenaged sister, play the piano, and imagine worlds as yet unknown.

Today she is a homeowner. And I am her mother, overwhelmed by the gratitude that her life is secure, and joyful. Last night I walked through empty rooms lit by candles and imagined the hustle and bustle of movers as the furniture arrives. And the future holds dinners, and parties, and music: all the things that she loves. Long hours of writing in her journal as she relaxes in the courtyard--her haven in a busy and confusing world.

Motherhood is late nights and nightmares, bicycle crashes and heart break. It is worry and fantasy and the wish for a better life. It is moving forward and standing still all at once. Today I find myself in the eye of the storm. The swirl of activity surrounds me.

I see that little girl, the one who loved long walks with her Grandpère, fine architecture, and having snacks and drinks in the living room before family dinners. I see the young woman who honors me by calling me friend. I see a house which will be a home.

Wherever you are as you read these words, my wish for you is the same joy that I feel today: the feeling that those you love be safe, and happy, and blessed.

 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Getting Fresh

One of my favorite days in the Spring comes when this year’s list of Farmer’s Markets is released. That happened this week. New this year are markets in Old Ellicott City and the “Merriweather Market” which, according to the address, will be located here . I mistakenly thought at first glance that it was in the new-construction part of the Merriweather District. I find the name confusing considering its actual location. I’m going to guess that this market is an initiative of the Howard Hughes Corporation because the name seems chosen more for branding purposes than anything else.  Alas, the market in Maple Lawn is gone. The thread on the markets on the County Executive’s FB page will provide you with quite the education in who actually runs the Farmers Markets vs what people often think is going on. Short answer: they are not  chosen nor run by the county. Each market is an independent entity, sometimes started by community volunteers, other times supported by local businesses...
1 comment
Read more

Teacher Gifts

Today is the last day of school before the Winter Break. It’s a good time to remember the far-reaching nature of our public school system. You may not have children. You may have sent your children to independent schools. It matters not. You will be impacted one way or another. Yesterday I read a long thread on Facebook about several waves of illness in the schools right now. There’s influenza A and norovirus, I believe. And of course there’s COVID. Apparently in some individual schools the rate of illness is high enough for school admin to notify parents.  When I was little the acceptable holiday gift for a teacher was one of those lovely floral handkerchief squares. (I don’t know what it was for male teachers. They were rare in my elementary years.) These days the range of teacher gifts is wider and I have fond memories of Target gift cards which I have written about before. I think it’s safe to say that giving one’s teacher Influenza, norovirus, or COVID is not the ideal holiday...
1 comment
Read more

They Can Wait

This is not a typical Saturday post. That’s because, in my community, it’s not a typical Saturday.  Oakland Mills High School, after years of deferred repair, needs massive renovation. It’s pretty simple: when you don’t fix a problem it gets bigger. The school system itself said the the OMHS school building was  "no longer conducive to learning" back in 2018.  2018 .  But Thursday the Boad of Education voted to push it out of the lineup of important projects which will be given the go-ahead to proceed soonest.  In my opinion it’s a terrible decision and sets a dangerous precedent. To explain, here’s the advocacy letter I sent in support of Oakland Mills High School. I was rather proud of it. I am writing to ask you to proceed with needed renovation at Oakland Mills High School in the most timely and comprehensive manner humanly possible. I have read the letter sent to you by the Oakland Mills Community Association and I am in complete agreement. You are extremel...
1 comment
Read more