When you are a mother, you are never really alone in your thoughts. A mother always has to think twice, once for herself and once for her child.
~Sophia Loren
This was my last first day of school. My baby Rob, the youngest of my three sons, was starting kindergarten. I had already gone through this twice before with his older brothers, but this time it was different. I knew this was my last time. Being the third boy in our family, he was more than ready for his first day of school. I, on the other hand, was not. I was a wreck.
What if he was scared? What if he missed me? What if he needed me? I decided to try and do the grown-up thing and not tell him how I felt. I assured him that he was a big boy now and that everything would be just fine. He, on the other hand, knew that everything would be fine — but he wasn’t absolutely sure I would be.
The night before school started, Rob and I went into his bedroom, just the two of us. I wanted to have a few minutes alone with him. I sat down with him, hugged him and asked if he had any questions about what he could expect tomorrow when he went to his big new school. We had visited the school, been to his classroom and met his teacher.
“I’m really excited, Mommy, but I’m a little worried about what I should do if I miss you,” he confided sheepishly.
I had just the answer for him.
I opened my hand and showed him a brand-new, shiny penny. “This is a lucky magic penny you can take to school with you. If you’re scared or lonely or if you miss me, just put your hand in your pocket and hold on to this lucky penny. Every time you hold it and think of me, I will know and be thinking about you, too.”
It was absolutely true. I’d be thinking about him every minute.
School started bright and early the next day. Tucked in the pocket of Rob’s new jeans was that lucky penny. As he entered his schoolroom, he looked back at me, put his hand in his pocket and smiled. My baby looked so sure of himself. I smiled back at him and hoped that he didn’t see the tears in my eyes.
The hours moved slowly, but finally it was time to pick him up. Out of the room he bound, still smiling.
“I had a great day!” he cheered. “There were a few times I was worried, but I held on to my lucky penny, and I knew you were thinking about me and that made me feel all better.”
Rob carried that lucky penny to school with him for about a week. Then, one day after I had dropped him off and returned home, I found it on his dresser. I guessed he was secure enough in his new situation that he didn’t need it anymore.
I, on the other hand, tucked it in my pocket for a few more days.
Комментариев нет:
Отправить комментарий