The weekend started with me saying goodbye to my husband and one of my sons as they headed out the door for a college visit. Yes, we just got one son settled on campus. And yes, it’s time to start the process all over again.
Jack toured Cedarville University in Ohio. It offers both the criminal justice degree he’s hoping to pursue as well as Air Force ROTC. It was a lovely school and definitely not out of the running, but birds didn’t sing the second he stepped foot on campus. In other words, it wasn’t love at first sight. So we keep marching forward, exploring options, and listening for God’s voice.
I’m feeling a tad more confident moving forward with the next steps in Jack’s search. After all, this is the fourth kid we’ve ushered into higher education. They’ve all gone about it their own way, as one would expect since they are all unique individuals created with unique purpose by God. But it’s something of a known quantity all the same. As a matter of fact, there’s a bit of deja vu in repeating the financial aid conversations, explaining how admissions work, and talking class load.
On the other end of the spectrum is Simon. Sweet, 5 year-old Simon, who this week had his first group violin lesson. Guess what?
Suddenly, everything is a violin— even a stick and a bubble wand.
Music has grabbed this kid, and I’m back to answering questions (“How does the same string make different notes?” “What would happen if my violin had no bridge?”). They’re familiar questions, and I love the wide eyes and excitement he gives after each answer.
And that, I think, might just be the lesson right here, right now: don’t get jaded. Don’t forget that this thing that is old hat to you is magic to the eyes seeing it for the first time. While we know the ins and outs of casting a wide net to find the perfect school, or what song is next in Suzuki book 1, this is a new discovery for our children. They deserve our full wonder right alongside theirs, our delighted passion at the new world opening to them.
Yes, I’ve been here before. But they haven’t. How beautiful that I get the chance to do this all again.