![\"small-driver-867577_1280\"](\"http:\/\/story2write.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/09\/small-driver-867577_1280.jpg\")
<\/a>turned five, that he promised me that he would always stay little and not grow up. But his hair has changed from blonde to light brown and he has grown two feet in stature. He plays guitar, mows the lawn, understands complex equations, chemical and mathematical, holds two part-time jobs, and \u2026 he drives a car. He\u2019s growing up and is a fine young man \u2013 it\u2019s time for me to start letting go and loosening those proverbial apron strings.<\/p>\nBut that is the hard part.<\/p>\n
I\u2019ve reached that time in life that parents always talk about, \u201cwait until you have children of your own, then you\u2019ll understand.\u201d And as I look back to my experience with my Dad, I see that the \u201cletting go,\u201d the caring and worry never totally stops.<\/p>\n
For twenty years, from the time we had our first little one until my father began to struggle with his health, Dad would walk our family out to the car as we were leaving from our visit to my parent\u2019s home. We would say our goodbyes and I would begin to pull away. Dad always stood very close to the car and I would say, \u201cStand back!\u201d and be concerned that I would run over his toes. I was even annoyed that he always stood so close.<\/p>\n
Somehow this came up in a conversation I had with my brother. \u201cYou know why he does that don\u2019t you? He always touches the car and prays for your safety,\u201d he said. And sure enough, next time I pulled away from my parents\u2019 house, I checked the mirror. There was Dad\u2019s hand on the back of the car and I knew he was whispering a silent prayer of blessing. So for the next several years, the silent ritual continued \u2013 my Dad\u2019s blessing, but the annoyance in my heart replaced with gratitude that my Dad loved us in this way.<\/p>\n