Partings

While I was a church Sunday, just a few short moments after listening to my son give his farewell address before embarking on his mission, a man came up to me and said "Well, it looks like you have lost your son!"

I looked him dead in the eyes and said, "Nope. I haven't lost him. I know right where he'll be and who he will be serving. He isn't lost, he's just away."

I think it took him by surprise.

Actually, I can talk bravely because the plane carrying my child hasn't opened up to receive him yet. Nor has it left the ground headed to the western skies, for the time being.

But reality is beginning to set in that he won't be coming in for lunch to catch up on the thrilling exploits of doing laundry and running the vacuum cleaner. Instead, he will be letting me in on HIS thrilling adventures as he learns to be a great missionary for Our Father and His Son, Jesus Christ.

We have shed some tears and some laughter and some advice and counsel that will only be fully understood when he experiences life 'out there' without me. . .

Or maybe it is really the other way around.

I will be learning to experience life without my little boy and instead, I will have to prepare myself for the capable, seasoned man who will return with honor.

And I will have the rare joy of hearing HIS counsel and advice that have come from a world traveler and missionary to the world.

I only hope these next two years will pass as quickly as the first 19 have. . .