On Sunday, I took my youngest daughter, India, to the airport. She had worked her way to this day both academically and in literal terms of cleaning her way to create an income for her travel plans to manifest. She wanted to celebrate her 19th birthday on Bondi beach and so this morning I received a photo message. She’s living her best life and so she should.
Its hard to believe that Indy ‘Van Gogo’ (an affectionate childhood nickname term, as she covered just about everything in paint} is now 19. As I drove back with Rubydog by my side I realised that my very last library book (India) had left my home library to move around the universal library of life. I have always thought that to be a parent is such a gift. such a blessing and our children we can never control or possess and nor should we. They are simply on loan to us. We nurture, we cherish, we encourage free thinking and courageous independence. Sometimes they are a difficult read, sometimes an easy read, sometimes a book we feel so frustrated with but deep down a book we love and cherish with pride of place in our collection so much so, that we forget the difficult chapters which challenged us, terrified us and scared us to grey hair or no hair!
They are loaned to us and at some given point they will want to leave the home library in favour of the universal library. When and if, they return, we can be sure it is because they have chosen. We can have no fetters, no claim on them. In writing this, I thank the Universe and my other three great children now adults. You were then and still are, fabulous books to read ♥
Esther Lawton 