My daughter is gone. Gone to be a teaching assistant at a boy’s primary school in Cheshire, England. And it is hard. Because despite the fact that I have tried to parent Jessie in a way that grows her independence, and nurtures her own thinking, it is still hard to see her take flight (literally).
So the new (Gregorian calendar) year brings its own experience of loss. But at the same time I want to see this as providing opportunities for growth. I want to discover myself as a better husband to my wife Jenny. And as a father who encourages all three of my daughters to continue to grow their own lives: I know that I will discover much as I watch Jessie grow under the tutelage of others. I already see her sister Lisa growing as she experiences University life. And Amy is no longer the ‘little sister’ as she discovers the joy of the interest of two male admirers.
My wish for all who read this site is that we can be challenged by the wise words of reknowned Buddhist teacher and writer Thich Nhat Hanh:
Listen deeply, nourish compassion, let go of anger, speak lovingly - and thus bring about transformation.
