Elvis is leaving the Building

So our most recently hatched (nearly 21 years prior), and only current locally residing offspring (in our basement), is making his move to become decidedly less local. He's heading up today for Fort Collins, Colorado, where he hopes to find a job and apartment and start to create a life for himself outside our circle of influence, if not our web of expenses.

My wife and I have resisted his desire to leave school and just get out on his own. Knowing this 'independence' is easier contemplated than achieved, we've tried to encourage other options and directions for him, but he is determined. We've warned him that his life may become one of 'flipping hamburgers' and he says 'that's okay'.

As Jackie and I have discussed him leaving the nest, we have come to the realization that we always just assumed that each of our kids would, in an ordely fashion, just graduate from an institution of higer learning, and then either get started on a career or go on to grad school. In orderly fashion, no less. What were we thinking? Our assumptions reflected our own experience of the transition period that we experienced as we matriculated toward adulthood. We never even contemplated a "Plan B", as our kids were smart (still are), and they had the advantage of having good parents (assuming one grades on the curve).

Well, my soon-to-be 90 year old Dad reminds me every time I talk to him that we've got "good kids", and I agree. Whenever I mention that our youngest is sleeping in late, or staying out late, or when I tell him that he doesn't want to be in school, or...whatever, Dad just says "he's such a good kid. Its just a phase they all go through." You know, he's probably right.

Details of our "Plan B" are still a work in progress, but we have decided that "Plan B" definitely includes parental emotional support, encouragement and unconditional love. And we realize that it is, most likely "just a phase" and we'll go through it vicariously with our son.

Maybe life turns out to be a series of "phases" that we all go through, individually and in the company of our loved ones. We will do our best to enjoy, endure and support the process.