Dear Marie,

First of all, let me say, I love being your mom.  Having you for a daughter has been far more rewarding than I could have ever imagined.  I love discovering the person God created you to be, and being a part of that with you as you discover it, too.  I admire your adventurous spirit, your passion and dedication in pursuing your goals, and your creativity and talent.

When it was time for you to go to college, it was clear that you were ready to spread your wings and fly.  For several reasons, I had open hands to let you go:  it was important for you to experience that freedom, I was confident in your ability to negotiate your way in this world and succeed, and I didn’t want you to feel trapped and tied down.  I also delight in watching you grow and become the young woman you are, while at the same time I learn how to be the mom of a grown child.  To avoid smothering you, I made a point of not saying that I miss you or wanted you to be home with us.

I realized later that maybe I was too careful to communicate freedom, and not bold enough to communicate how much I miss you!  Forgive me for that, and for assuming that once you moved into an apartment with your own kitchen, you didn’t need me to send you cookies anymore.

So now, please know that I do hold you close in my heart every day even as I let you fly.  I look forward to so many things with you in the future, spending time together in special ways (including traveling to places without electricity).

I love you lots!

Mom