A Special Time....

At this point in my life, it is a rare thing indeed to have some extended private quiet time with one of my children.  My daughter Caitlin has come to live with us in our guest house for the present.  Her path through life is exciting to say the least.  She works for a company that markets a sophisticated integrated broadcast computer platform to television networks and stations all over the world.  She is one of their small cadre of 'trainers' that travels the globe when a company purchases their platform and trains the staff on how to use it.  In the last 4 years she has been all over the world to some of the most exotic places on earth, getting an education and life experience that few young people her age ever receive.  

 

For Cecily and I, to have gently nudged her out of our nest and to see her fly in such a grand fashion is incredibly rewarding.  In fact, both our girls have become such gifted individuals with empathy, humor and kindness that they share unreservedly with everyone.  We are so proud of them and all they have

accomplished.  But with that success and accomplishment, we as parents inevitably experience a distancing as they pursue their dreams.  We cherish the times we spend together as they drop in to grace their parents with their presence as they follow their path through life.

 

And then, perhaps when we least expect it, an opportunity appears to get a bigger dose of them when the stars align.  Because of the pandemic, Caitlin has been training her clients from home via the computer, so for the last several months she has been living in Tampa by herself with a roommate since Shaune moved to Raleigh a year ago.  When the lease on her house came up for renewal, we offered and she decided to move into our guest house here in Naples to save some money and have the freedom to visit her boyfriend who lives in the UK.

 

And so, we have been the beneficiary of her presence in our lives for whatever time she spends here with us.  She moved in last weekend and created her own nest here just 300 feet from her parents and the result is that we are spending some wonderful moments together that certainly make our lives richer.  Having the interaction on a daily basis while still having the space between us to insure privacy is the best.  And we all know that this will be temporary, but to have these times when the world is in such flux is reassuring and comforting.

 

I see her through different eyes now.  She is an adult.  I see her navigating the potholes of life with a new sense of pride, because there was a time when she was not very adept at it, as most children are when they first start to fly.  But now she has a new confidence in her decisions and a view that is longer range than when she first started on life's journey.  It is remarkable to have a front row seat as she deals with her work and life in general.  To see your child in a new light is a rewarding experience for sure.  We feel blessed to have this time together.