by Michelle N. Broughton

Created on: July 01, 2008   Last Updated: July 06, 2008

"I'm moving out next week," announced our son. At twenty-six, it was overdue. He had finished high school and computer technical classes. A good career move opened up providing the money necessary to pay rent, utilities, car and insurance payments.

"Leave your set of house keys with me," I said, giving him a big hug.

His expression, more than any words, said he hadn't been expecting my response which was my dad's response when it came time for me to fly from the home nest.

David, though living at home past the age most young men, had been taught to fend for himself since leaving high school. We attempted to assist with college, but when he proved he only studied and made excellent grades when the funds came from his pockets, we learned our lesson. Eventually, he left college altogether finding Computer Technical School more to his liking.

He arranged for the loan and the method to repay it. He landed a second job at a pizza parlor before classes began. He figured every bit paid back before the loan schedule put him ahead of the game. Smart fellow.

The day he moved, he placed the housekeys in my hand and with a smile, he slid into his car and drove away. A letter arrived a week later. Tears ran down my face when I read it.

Dear Mom and Dad,

Thank you for letting me go. Thank you for making my transition to a life of my own easier. You've always been there when I really needed you, but you always knew when to back away and let me solve my own problems, too.

I know guys who were never trusted with house keys and others who have those keys as a safety net. If they fall on the smallest bit of hard times, they run back to their parents' homes for food and shelter. You trusted me, but at the same time, you never made it simple for me to stay. You made me pay rent and utilities for my room and, though I know it wasn't nearly enough, you made me buy a few groceries, too. In doing those things, you prepared me for leaving, but never made me feel ill at ease while I lived there.

You set the rules and expected me to follow them, even after I turned twenty-one. I respected your house as you respected me. Thank you both for being the parents I needed and for being the parents I always wanted.

I love you more than you'll ever know. By the way, I'm talking to a woman on the Internet. She sounds terrific. We're thinking of meeting each other soon and if she's anything like her conversations, she may just be the one.

Love, David

His Internet romance turned serious when they met and a year later our boy became a married man. His bride proved to be beautiful inside and out. Together they built a wonderful life as two young professionals. Dave's dad and I are the proud grandparents to two beagles, Mazie and Buddy. One day we hope to have a grandchild who will be even more precious. But for now, we're happy to watch our son move forward.

Soon after his marriage, his mother-in-law passed away. David and Karen took her father in, caring for him in their free time and hiring a nurse while they had to be at work. He suffered from advanced Parkinson's disease. Before he became fully bedridden, David would carry him up the stairs to eat meals with them. Both of them spent weekends taking him places he wanted to see or just having long conversations. Dave grew into a wonderful, unselfish man any parent would be proud to call their own.

I believe had we held him closer instead of letting him go, he would never have fully matured. When he was five years old, he held to my skirt when we went shopping or any place where he might get lost. As he got older, that was no longer necessary. I clipped the apron strings then just as I took his house keys later.

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