I took our youngest to the airport early this morning to catch a flight to Colorado. She is going to the ranches at Adventure Unlimited where she will spend two weeks herding cattle from a horse.  This is something she’s always wanted to do.

It was downright splendid how excited she was. She has flown many times without parents, but always with siblings or friends; this is her first time flying round trip alone. She loves airplanes, adventure and animals in the great outdoors.  

On the way to the airport we discussed how deeply grateful we are for the generous scholarship that made this possible. She also waxed poetic about the bliss of hanging in the air between things, transitioning in the most overt sense– from above– and looking down on where you had been from an elevated perspective.  There wasn’t a single motherly thing I felt needed to be said.  She’s ready, complete with new rain pants, worn out cowboy boots she loves, and the perfect hat given to her by friends.

I lingered as I watched our daughter waltz through security; it looked like she was entering the maw of a friendly dragon from my vantage point, but for her, giddy with anticipation, she was passing through a shiny portal into a new and beautiful world.  As I surreptitiously observed her actually skip down the wide, polished hall and out of view to her gate, I was so delighted by the lightness in her heart I think it healed something deep within me.

All the way driving home, I felt like I was glowing, looking up for a contrail of our independent wrangler in limbo-land in the sky.  This is a day when I felt like I’ve done a lot right!

God bless her!  Have a great time…