Saying Goodbye

Dear God: Today, we let her go. We moved Karli into her dorm room at Cal Poly, went out to dinner (which felt to me like the proverbial last supper), and then said goodbye. She waved to us, skipped cheerfully up the steps into Grant Hall, and disappeared into college life. While we sat in the parking lot, we held hands and shed a few tears.

We knew that our empty-nest moment would come, but it’s still hard! I think we raised her well with Your help, and she’s ready to face the big, bad world on her own. But now, her bedroom with the Scooby-Doo poster seems empty, and the hallways and dining room table so still. We’re going to miss the walks to the park, the Sunday bargain matinees, the father-daughter Dodger games, wrestling matches, the teasing and jokes about boyfriends and proms.

But thank You for giving us two remarkable daughters—and the 18 golden years that were our allotted time of joy. These unique children were Your personally crafted loan to Lisa and me, and we’re so thankful for Your goodness and how You blessed our family.

For now, as we say goodbye, thank You for e-mail and cell phones and a soon-coming Thanksgiving break. Please watch over our little girl.

In Jesus’ name. Amen.

If you liked this, you might also enjoy Far From Home | 5 Ways to Cope with Empty Nest Syndrome 

David B. Smith writes from Southern California.

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