When Love Meets Independence
Yesterday was my oldest daughter’s birthday; she turned 17. It’s hard to believe how fast the years have flown by—it feels like just yesterday we brought her home from the hospital. She was so tiny, the most adorable, sweet little being I’d ever held in my arms. From that moment, my world changed completely. In those early days, I was swept up in emotional highs and lows. I remember the soft baby coos, the milestones we celebrated, the sweet babble of our first conversations. She was clingy back then, always wanting to be near me, which made me feel deeply needed—not just as a mother, but as her caregiver, her safe place. It reassured me, too, that I was raising a little human who would one day become my confidant, my lifelong companion. When she was born, my own mother shared her wisdom, telling me that my daughter would grow up to be my lifelong companion, someone who would be close to me in a way no one else could. My mother and I had a bond that felt timeless, and she reassured me ...