Cutting The Apron Strings - Again

In 2003, my younger daughter, Jen married a fellow who lived up north in Gravenhurst, Ontario. It was a wonderful wedding amid the beautiful flowers, pines and lush undergrowth of the area just off the lake.

However, it was bitter sweet for me as her mother – knowing she was making a new life for herself some 200 miles away from my home in Hamilton, Ontario. In the beginning, I missed her terribly, but eventually resigned myself to the fact that she was happy and that's the way things were meant to be.

Every so often a friend of mine would be driving north to visit his daughter in North Bay, so I'd hitch a ride to Gravenhurst and spend a weekend with Jen. Other times, Jen would get on a bus and take the long trip down to see me. It was always a very happy reunion for us, since we've always been so close.

Unfortunately, their marriage took a turn for the worse in 2005. Jen called to say she missed her family too much and was coming home. For a while, she lived with her sister just around the corner, but soon found a job and rented the apartment right below me. I was ecstatic!

Last summer was particularly grand. We'd spend many an evening cooking on the barbecue and eating outside on the front porch. We'd play cards or Yahtzee, laugh and talk into the wee hours of the morning. It took Jen a while to get used to the idea of being single again, so time spent with mom was a big deal. We can talk about anything.

Over the past year, she has met a number of different fellows. She's been up, down and in between, but always near to me so I could comfort her. Well, that's all about to change. She has now established the relationship she'd hoped for with a wonderful young fellow from Burlington. He's the type of guy who instead of bringing his problems into her life is making her life so much better. There is nothing he won't do to make her happy.

Needless to say, the apron strings are being tugged again, as she plans for a new life with him in Burlington. She has changed jobs and begins working in that city next week. Over the past few weeks, I have seen less and less of her and in September, she will move there permanently. Of course, she points out that Burlington is right next to Hamilton and she will still come by to see me often. Well, she's right about the two cities being next to each other, but we all know how life has a way of taking us in different directions. Heck, my older daughter lives right around the corner, but her life is so full, she seldom stops by. I usually see her as she's going out the door, when I go over to watch the grandkids.

And so it is. Jen, now 26 is moving on again. While I am so happy she has found someone that adds so much to her life, I can't help but feel a tinge of sadness. It just won't be the same without her here.