Go West Young Man
”Go West young man and grow up with the country.” That quote has been on repeat in my head since 5:30 yesterday morning when my husband and I hauled a cattle trailer filled with my oldest sons possessions and him following along behind as we headed West to his new home and career. In just over 31 hours we traveled 500 miles from home, decorated his little rent house, fixed dryer hoses and a truck. We made 3 trips to Walmart, 30 minutes away, and spent a small fortune setting it up. As I walked out that door for the last time I literally thought my heart was breaking in two.
It’s hard on this momma’s heart but you know what I didn’t realize is how hard it’d be on the daddy’s heart as well. This man, who taught my sons to change tires, shoot guns and bows, work harder than the person next to you, always be the first to offer help, treat a woman, shake hands firmly while looking you in the eye and just being all around men; this man sitting next to me hauling an empty trailer home is missing his sons too. He’s done his job and done it better than most and even though he tells me it’s gonna be ok, he left one of his buddies that’s now a man back there. He may not be the bawling baby I am in the passenger seat but he feels it just the same.
We’ve moved our children before, multiple times, to dorms and apartments even to an internship in another state. Each time with each move it was so dadgumn hard but those were temporary moves. They’d come home from college for breaks or when they graduated before they took the next step and though this oldest kid of ours has been graduated for a year, his prior jobs were temporary internships so I knew he’d be coming home in between, it was all short term. While we’ve prayed for this job for him we didn’t exactly realize how it would feel when he got it. There’s a moment when it’s clear that they are now actually full fledged adults with careers and homes of their own. He purchased appliances…how much more adult can you get I ask? There’s a different feeling we weren’t prepared for…the feeling of they’ve now officially moved out and moved on. It’s ok, it’ll be ok, because we prepare them for this with each milestone we celebrate from first words to graduations, we’re encouraging and celebrating them becoming self-sufficient and successful adults. I just wish it didn’t hurt so damn bad.
“Go West young man and grow up with the country.” Go West young man and kick ass at this new career. Go West young man but remember your roots.