For as long as I can remember I wanted to be somewhere else. I couldn’t wait to get out of my hometown and make something of myself in a big city. The overall idea of this has never changed, even if the details concerning what I might be doing, have. In all these years my parents have encouraged me to keep my mind open to suburban or small-town life. Where I would be safe and a more stable lifestyle could take place. I always thought they didn’t understand how I felt or what I wanted. Their simplistic minds just could not comprehend the grandiose nature of what I envisioned for myself. Now, I think they understood and understand completely, but it takes time to decipher the difference between a fantasy and desired reality. It may take even longer to decide if, as a parent, you advise such a life choice.

No one wants to see their child’s heart broken when all their dreams are crushed, because big dreams often lead to big disappointments. At some point the idealistic claims of a child become the long term goals of a young adult, and the parent has a choice to get behind them, or try and block the way. The most remarkable of parents, including my own, will decide on the former, and support their child in their journey toward success. There are things that our parents do that can seem insignificant or even routine, to let us know that somehow, they will always accompany us on the path that we decide to take. That in fact, they will be there every step of the way.

On one of our most recent trips, it came to my parents’ attention that I needed a suitcase. We went out and bought one together and I was admittedly emotional at the thought. I felt like I was a real grown-up who was going to do real grown up things like take trips and pack a suitcase and oh my word was I growing up faster than I anticipated. It became much worse when my father mentioned that the suitcase would be the perfect size to bring home on the plane rides during breaks from college. It was the first time I had heard him admit that I would probably be out of state for college and wouldn’t be able to just drive back. Buying the suitcase was his subtle way of helping me along on any trip I might take, even if it was one that led me away from him. It was the bravest statement I ever heard my father make.

Eventually, children turn into adults. What we want our futures to look like could change drastically from age seven to age seventeen. But eventually the people who raised us will realize the seriousness in our tones when we talk about what we want out of life and that our dreamy eyes have turned bright and excited to see a world full of possibilities. There is no question as to where we are going, only how close by you will be while we are on our way there. With my parents in full support of me, I can feel safe going forward, as I take these next few steps in my life. In know that they will always be with me, I will take their blessing with me wherever I go, and I could not be more pleased.