My daughter cried for three days when she heard about the Trayvon incident. She called her brother and told him to be careful. She called me and asked why scary things happen. She curled up on her bed. Then she decided that sad was not enough. So she planned a rally at her college and talked about the importance of focus and balance. And she talked about all the young boys who die too young and encouraged her classmates and community members to be a positive force in the world. Anger doesn’t heal. Focus, compassion, education and passion will. I am so proud of her.

I fell in love with her at birth and, other than a few tricky years in High School when I considered trading her for a standard poodle, she has been a joy ever since.  Today I start making the dress she will wear for her graduation from college in 4 weeks.  When Ron and I were young parents lugging diaper bags and strollers and fighting just to think clearly after months and months of sleep deprivation, older parents would tell us how quickly it would all pass. We nodded and made respectful sounds, but we didn’t believe them.  There were nights that seemed to last forever. Potty training was a universe of its own. And middle school…there seemed to be no end in sight. But here I am, sitting next to a pile of white fabric and it is as though it all blew by in a wind.

Those older parents were right. And now I’m one of them, waving at other people’s babies and comforting tired looking parents with the words, “It will pass so quickly.” They nod and smile. They don’t believe me. Yet.