Our younger son is starting high school this year and I realize that time is flying. I thought his older brother just started high school, but now he’s looking at colleges. I want to hold on to these last days of summer and take things slower. I want to keep our sons young a little longer. But the days are flying by and the kids are growing and there’s nothing I can do to hold them back.
Let’s go.
When our children were younger, I would always chat with them a little before the new school year started. I would tell them all about their teachers and what the school day would be like. We would carefully choose their lunch boxes, with just the right characters or motifs to show their classmates who they were and what they liked.
Today is different. I don’t have to tell them because they already know – or they will soon enough. They don’t need their mom to fill in the gaps. They are already on their way and ready for whatever comes their way. I just have to remember to buy the right foods for their lunch boxes and make sure everyone has a water bottle. These days they need a different kind of support from me.
At Mass this week, our preacher spoke about food for the journey. Each of us needs food, today and tomorrow. We need something to sustain us through the challenges and obstacles along the way. We need the Eucharist as our food for the journey. We need Jesus.
Even when we feel ready and believe we know what lies ahead, we need nourishment, support and love. We need guidance, reassurance and companionship. We need Jesus to be with us every step of the way.
“Christians must lean on the Cross of Christ as travelers lean on a staff when they begin a long journey,” said Saint Anthony of Padua. “They must have the Passion of Christ deeply rooted in their minds and hearts, for only from it can they draw peace, grace and truth.”
As we prepare to begin a new school year, I know I can’t be everything to my children. The truth is, I never could. But I pray that they find their way and know that they are loved – by their parents, by so many others, and by God.
Photo by Porapak Apichodilok
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