Weekly Photo Challenge: OPPORTUNITY

This week’s WordPress weekly photo challenge theme is OPPORTUNITY.

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It was already my son’s 3rd day in school on these pics. It was very difficult to prep him up in the morning. He didn’t want to get up from bed. He didn’t want to take a bath. He didn’t want to wear his uniform. In short, he didn’t want to go to school. He was constantly crying, just the thought that he was going to school.

I couldn’t blame him. He was not used to being away from his parents. For the last three years, we would always be there for him. His food would always be ready. We would always be there to assist him, to protect him. And now, he would be out there in school, far away from his parents.

As a parent, it actually hurts that I have to send him away, coz I always wanted him near. I always wanted him to be within our sight, because we knew he’s still unable to help and protect himself. And that being away, he might not get help when he needed it,  that he might fall or hurt himself or another boy would push him, and that he’s going to be hurt. Or he might just be alone in one corner that nobody would play with him.

But loving one’s child doesn’t always mean that he should always be within our sight, within our reach. Loving your son/daughter means allowing him to explore the life out there, making him independent to prepare him for more challenges in the future. Loving him means giving him the OPPORTUNITY to let him use his little wings to fly. He might fall or stumble along the way, but that will always be part of his learning process.

And so I am keeping a promise for my son – that although it would hurt to just be on the sideline, and on standby – he will always be allowed to explore the life out there on his own, with kind persuasions and guidance from his parents. He can choose to be whatever he wanted to be, and his independence and sense of self will always be respected.

Yes, we will not be there for him always. And that’s because we love him and we wanted him to grow up with character.