Monday, January 19, 2009

Remember

Our daughter went back to college yesterday, after time home for winter break. It was a long recess, as many other schools commenced last week.

Having her leave reminded me of a poem I wrote last year-her first year in college. It seems I feel the same a year after writing it. I suppose I will always feel this way. It's part of being a mom.


remember

remember
how i loved you then,
and how i love you now.

so long ago
your little face
was all that i could see.


i held you,
wondering how your delicate soul
arrived
to fill my world.

they say
we don't know what it's like
to be a parent-
until we are one
(and that was true for me, for sure).

all the things i'd learned
and read
were tossed out the door!

making our way
through twists and turns,
your dad and i
muddled through those first days-

then months-
now years
have passed
and you are gone-

(well that is as it should be).

you're not far,
you'll be home soon.

college is a stage
in time,

it will be over
and you'll be home
and never leave?

no, that's not right-
i want a Life for you

(don't wish to pen you in).

you are a woman
not a child-

but it feels to me
that time has gone
too fast
to take this in.

when you were young
you were our first
a daughter--we were so blessed!

a little girl, our very own,
to cherish and to love.

how much more complete
can one feel in this vast universe?


the dress you wore
(the one your gramma bought
before she knew you were a girl)

you looked so adorable;
and now you've grown.

you were our life back then
and now i think
where did time go?

i wish those days would come again-

without any parting words
they left
not one reminder
they were even on their way out!

they caught me ill-prepared
and i have thought not of the truth-
that your days here
are nearly done.

your time under our roof
is time that's almost over now.

you'll be on your own,
with a family
and a life.
will you remember

how i loved you then,
and how i love you now?

--Today I am thankful for the days and months and years my husband and I have spent watching our daughter grow into a lovely and kind young woman.

42 comments:

  1. Hi...I came here from Shirl's...I, too, have a daughter returning to school (although she left today)...mine's a Hokie, maybe yours is also?...lovely pictures...all the best...Katie

    ReplyDelete
  2. That is such a beautiful poem. Your daughter will cherish that.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Hi Gotta Garden, thanks for stopping by! VT is a great school...go Hokies! No, my daughter doesn't go to VT. I thought most schools went back last week, but I guess there are several:) I need to visit your site!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Jan,

    Beautiful photos and a wonderful poem. It's hard to see them leave, even if we want them to create their own life and family. We miss our son...He is in grad school in RI. Over the holidays we talked about how nice it would be if he lived across town and not across the country! Take care Jan and keep warm. Gail

    ReplyDelete
  5. Jan, they do grow up way too fast. It is so hard to believe that my daughter is 21 already.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Oh Jan! That's so beautiful and touching. I'm sure your daughter cried after reading it and the photos fit the words. Especially that of the rabbit and the angel! I was moved!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Jan, you've brought tears to my eyes. As my daughter nears college age (and my son not far behind...I only have to blink), possibly entering early, I can't help but think of how hard this will be for me and my husband. We have been blessed with 2 beautiful children, and we have been fortunate that we were able to home school them- what a shock that day will be for me. Thank you for sharing your heart- know that it is appreciated greatly.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Hi Jan
    Yes they grow up too fast. I have a daughter she is 41 already and she has two boys 17 and 14 years. I cant belive that she is so grown up already. I was only 19 when she was born. She is my best friend and a dear daughter.
    You have written a very nice and touching poem.Thanks for sharing it.
    Greetings
    Gunilla

    ReplyDelete
  9. That was great Jan, I agree with Tessa 'you've brought tears to my eyes' very touching and beautiful. I have two girls and they are more or less left the nest.

    Have a great day on this very exciting historical day/ Tyra

    ReplyDelete
  10. Jan, a lovely heart tugging poem. One all parents can relate to in one way or another. Your pictures are wonderful!

    ReplyDelete
  11. Hi there Jan :-)

    A beautiful tribute to your daughter and the stage you are all in now. I too can relate to this. My first child/daughter is in her first year at Uni (she's 18). She was back for her year's exams on the 6th and returns home tonight for a few days hols now that they are over. I agree it his her time now and, like you with your daughter I'm sure, we wish her much happiness :-D

    ReplyDelete
  12. Jan,
    Thanks for sharing your poem... they grow up so fast. Both of mine are away at college, both to graduate this spring. One from grad school and the other undergrad. So in the blink of an eye they will be on their own. If your daughter needs anything, give me a holler.
    Janet

    ReplyDelete
  13. So precious Jan. Somehow I think your daughter knows how much you love her.

    ReplyDelete
  14. How you brought tears to my eyes with this lovely poem! My daughter moved out on her own about a year and a half ago, and I still miss her very much.

    ReplyDelete
  15. Jan, what a beautiful poem and lovely photos to accompany it. You've captured the feelings of every mother so well. In those early days of sleepless nights or when they're testing our patience, we think we can't wait for them to grow out of that stage. Then before we know it, they've left us...I remember thinking, "No, no, I'm not ready to let go of you."

    Our youngest daughter graduated from college this past May, but she's living with us this year. She plans to move out this summer...I don't know how I will react to that. Thankfully, I have grandchildren nearby to help fill the void!

    ReplyDelete
  16. Hi Jan.
    Home from the Florida road trip with my girls and just read your wonderful daughter posting. Mine head back to school shortly too. I enjoy their time back home and our road trip, as you can imagine, was full of great fun and many, many memories to hold on to. Thanks for sharing your poem with us.

    ReplyDelete
  17. My goodness--every single reply means so much to me, and I'm not just sayin' that to be nice:)

    Thank you, Noelle, for leaving your kind comment;)

    Gail: I am sure you miss your son in grad. school in Rhode Island! At the same time, I know you are proud of him!

    Robin: You can really relate to this, as well. My daughter is 20 now, very close in age to your 21 yr old!! It is hard to believe sometimes:)

    Chandramouli: Thank you--I'm glad it was moving and touching to you:)

    Tessa: It's a process that gradually happens--you are kind of guided into it over time. You will be more ready than you think, when the time comes. But you will always have that feeling of 'where did the time go'...because it really does hurry by:)

    Thank you, LindaLunda my dear:)

    Gunilla, Even though your daughter is 41 you still feel the same sometimes...and I guess that's how it is when we have children:) Congratulations on your 2 grandchildren and I am sure you are very proud of them! It's so nice that you and your daughter are best friends; that doesn't always happen:(

    Tyra: I'm glad it touched you and you could relate, having 2 daughters about that age:) Yes, today is the day we will remember for all time...it will certainly go down in history as the beginning of something very new for the US, and for the world:)

    Dear Beckie: I thank you for your kind comment; I know you can understand:)

    Shirl: I am so glad you were touched and can relate; your daughters are very close in age to mine so you know exactly what it's like:)

    Thank you so much, Linda;)

    ReplyDelete
  18. Q of S: Wow, having 2 graduations this spring is something you are really looking forward to, I'm sure--although you probably have those same feelings now and then:) You must be so very proud of them!! Thank you for extending yourself to us! Perhaps we will have the chance to meet sometime:) I have some friends down that way that I still haven't seen because when I go down there, I'm always busy w/my daughter and then I need to turn around and drive home:) But, who knows??!!

    Tina: Thank you for commenting, I am certain she does!!

    MsRobin: I hope you were touched in a 'good' way...I mean,I don't want you to be too sad....!! I am sure you do miss your daughter now that she's moved out;) I am sure it is a time of 'mixed' emotions.

    Rose: Thank you, and I know you can relate! You have been through every stage so you know! Now you are going through it again--and, again you will probably have similar feelings from time to time--and perhaps feel more than ready for her to be on her own from time to time, as well!!!!! It must be rewarding to have grandchildren who you can see frequently:)

    ReplyDelete
  19. Jan,

    I love these pics. They are all so beautiful. I especially like the one of the daisy, the fading affect is a really nice touch.

    Thank you for getting back with me. To explain how I picked the blogs that I wanted to interview was mostly by Blotanical. You, among other bloggers, had amny people like your blog. You had a lot of great reviews. Also the traffic of your blog was another testiment to its great success. It is nothing to be embarrised about. Also, I am very sorry about my spelling. I am in a rush, and my brain is going to fast for my fingers. Please email me at vioboygarden@gmail.com, there I can explain it better than I can here.

    Thanks once again

    ReplyDelete
  20. I am not a mom, but I understand it must be hard to let children grow, and that your love has to change. The very "apex" of your job as parent--creating a young adult who is confident and can move alone in the world--is also the nadir because you "lose" the child. But gain an adult. I respect the hard work parenting must be.

    ReplyDelete
  21. Jan, that is a beautiful poem. They tell us time is fleeting, but we don't understand until this day comes.
    Marnie

    ReplyDelete
  22. This was really beautiful - both the words and the pix. And the words were so true.

    ReplyDelete
  23. How beautiful, Jan!
    Both the poem and your photos.

    Hilde

    ReplyDelete
  24. You've written words to convey complex feelings beautifully. And the photographs enhance the poem.
    A beautiful post.

    ReplyDelete
  25. Dear Jan ~ most touched, I'm here to wrap my arms around you and say your days are just beginning. Your beautiful poem could have been mine(I also wrote in this phase) but simply because you and your husband are you, this much in life I know is true, your children will return into your life with heartfelt gifts of thank-yous that will warm your heart and fire your soul to again write heartfelt poetry with 'pen on fire'! (Hugs)

    ReplyDelete
  26. What a lovely poem! And, positively flawless pictures to boot!--Randy

    ReplyDelete
  27. Jan, that was so beautiful and your pics are all so stunning. The birds, especially!

    ReplyDelete
  28. A touching poem, and such beautiful accompanying photos!

    ReplyDelete
  29. Yep! That says it all. My daughter moved to Daytona Beach, now we see each other when work permits.........Love the photos with the verses.

    ReplyDelete
  30. Wonderful,loving and creative post !
    But I feel a little sad...

    ReplyDelete
  31. Beautiful words and stunning photography, you are so inspiring. x

    ReplyDelete
  32. Oh! This is so touching! Your daughter is truly blessed to have a mother that cares for her so deeply.

    Jan, you are a very special soul.

    Karrita

    ReplyDelete
  33. Beautiful poetry and photos to accompany. Has your daughter seen this yet? Raising a child is such a privilege, isn't it? Thanks for sharing your heart. :-)

    ReplyDelete
  34. They do grow fast. It's good that you can express complicated and contradictory feelings in your poetry.

    ReplyDelete
  35. Could there be a more sentimental journey than motherhood? I think not. Such a heartfelt poem with beautiful captures to match...your daughter must have shed tears of joy as she read!

    ReplyDelete
  36. Hi Jan, what a heart felt and lovely poem. Our first child was a girl also, what a gift to have a daughter, and I am doubly blessed, for I have two. Both mothers themselves, it just gets better and better.

    You asked about my photos, I use wordpress, a whole different world than blogger. I had to rewrite the code for the css sheet to be able to get them so large, not an easy task, and had to pay to have that privilege too. It looks like you are doing it, the results are superb. I don't think there is an easier way for you on blogger.


    Frances

    ReplyDelete
  37. Your blog is filled in love.
    Beautiful.

    ReplyDelete
  38. What a lovely tribute to your daughter! Mine is going to be 27 in February. I can relate to the things you say. We see her a couple times a month, except lately, she's been coming over more often to take baths because she likes our tub better than hers, which she says doesn't drain well. She has to take baths because of her eczema. She still likes me to scratch her back.

    Thanks for putting the birds and blooms up, too. I am hoping to get some pics of our dove family soon.

    ReplyDelete
  39. What a beautiful poem Jan. I can so relate and it makes me emotional too. :-( It's our goal to raise children to grow up and live independently but it's definitely hard to let go. I agree with Gail, if they just stayed in the same town, it would be easier/nicer (instead of going so far away) like so often happens. Thanks for sharing this personal poem with all of us. Time really passes in the blink of an eye, doesn't it?

    ReplyDelete
  40. Jan,

    What a lovely tribute to your daughter! The photo of the blue jay, with his head cocked to the side, is gorgeous.

    Hey, I discovered something else we have in common (other than gardening and both living in Virginia)---Jim Brickman's music! I love working in my studio (and on long road trips, too) and listening to his music.

    ReplyDelete

Thanks so much for visiting and taking the time to comment! Please enjoy your TODAY and all of the gifts in YOUR garden of life!

Jan

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...

Post Topics

17 year Cicadas...Enough Already! 2011 Official Post 2012 4th of July collage 5-lined skink A Certain Kind of Light A Cozy Fire A Dusting of Snow A Family Meal A Hawkish Tale A Little Bit of Winter A Visit From Miss Glad on Blooming Friday A Visit With The Queen A Warm Cup of Tea Acorns African Violets African Violets:Kitty Style Agastache Allium Am I too late for GBBD Amaryllis Amazing Zinnias American Beautyberry American Hazelnut American Lady American Robin Anemone Anenome Anglewings Anise Hyssop Another Birthday aphids April 2010 April blooms Arbor Day Are Words Really Necessary? Artemesia Asarum Asclepias Asiatic lilies Aster Aster Yellows Audubon-at-Home August 2009 GBBD August 2013 Autumn Autumn Reflections Awards Awesome Azaleas Azalea on Ice;Picture This Photo Contest;Winter's Beauty Azaleas Azealea Back Yard Backyard Bird Series backyard birds Backyard Makeover Bald Eagles Balloon Flower Bee Collage Bee-Balm Bees Bees Busily Buzzing on Blooms Before and After Being Settled berries Big Eyes Bird Collage Bird Conversations Bird Itch Birdfeeding Birds Birds Before Blooms Birthday Books Black Swallowtail Black Swallowtail Butterflies Black Swallowtail butterfly cats Blackeyed Susan Bleeding Heart Blog Anniversary Blogger blogging blogging friends Blogiversary Blooming Friday Blotanical Blotanical awards Blotanical's 2009 Best Virginia Award Blue Blooms Bluebeard Bluebird Bluebird Fledglings Bluebird in Snow Botanical Interests Boulder Bouquet of the Month:April 2010 Bouquet of the Month:March 2010 Bright Flowers broad-winged damselfly Brown Creeper Brunnera Buddleia Bugbane Bulbs BulbsSproutinginPot Bumblebees Butterflies BUTTERFLIES LIVE Butterfly on Salvia Butterfly weed Calorie-Free Candy Camera-less in April Can You Guess What This Is? Can You Please Identify Me Can't Get Enough Cosmos Cancer Experience Cardinal Cardinal (Female) Cardinal (Male) Cardinal Flower Carolina Wren Carolyn's Shade Gardens Carpenter Bees Carpet Rose Caryopteris Caryopteris x clandonensis Catmint Cedar Waxwing CedarWaxwing celandine poppy Celebrate Your Freedom Cercis canadensis Certified Wildlife Sanctuary Chelone Cherry Blossoms Chickadee Chris McLaughlin Christmas Fern Christmas Rose Chrysanthemum Cicada's Ahead of Schedule Cicada's May 2009 Cicadas May 2013 Cinquefoil Clematis CobraHead Collage Collages Columbine Common Buckeye Common Whitetail dragonfly Composter Coneflower Containers Cooper's Hawk Coral Red Honeysuckle Coreopsis Corona Corydalis Cosmos Covered Hellebore Plants Cozy and Warm Cranberrybush Vibernum Crepe Myrtle Crested Iris Crocus Crocus 'Romance' Crow Cut Flowers From My Garden Cutleaved Coneflower Daffodil Daffodils dainty blue flowers Dayflower Daylilies December 2010 December Birds Deer Poop Desert Island Plant Challenge Desperate for Color on Bloom Day Devastation in the Garden Devotion Dicentra Digitalis purpurea Does This Outfit Make Me Look Fat? Dogs Dragonflies Dragonfly or Damselfly Dried Blooms ducklings Dutchman's Breeches Dwarf Nandina Dwarf Sumac e-Bird e.e.cummings e.e.cummings:i thank You God for most this amazing Earth Day Eastern Bluebird Eastern Comma butterfly Eastern Redbud Eastern Tiger Swallowtail eastern Tiger Swallowtail butterfly Ebony Jewelwing Echinacea Elderberry Emily Dickinson End of the Line Epimedium Euphorbia Evening Primrose facebook Faith Fall Color Project Feasting on Seeds Feb 2010 GBBD Feb 2010 monster storm Feeling Blue Feeling Blue? Finch Fire Pink First Day of April First Snow First Snowfall Project Fiskars Flame Azalea Flat Tire Basket Flick'r photo large sizes Floral Collages Focal Black and White photo Foliage-Followup Forsythia Fourth of July Foxglove Foxy in November Free Will Friends Fritillaria Frozen Blooms Galanthus Garden Garden Blessings Garden Blogger Bloom Day:November 2008 Garden Blogger Muse Day November 2009 Garden Blogger Muse Day:December 2008 Garden Blogger's Bloom Day:January 2009 Garden Bloggers Garden Bloggers Bloom Day Garden Bloggers Muse Day Garden Bloggers Muse Day (April 2009) Garden Bloggers Operation Christmas Child Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day Garden Bloggers' Muse Day: June 2009 Garden Books Garden Give Away Garden Give Aways Garden Give-Aways Garden Product Give Away Gardening Gone Wild photography contest Gardening Nude Gardening-by-Letter project GardenShoesOnline Garter Snake Ingests Toad GBBD Febrary 2009 GBBD July 2009 GBBD June 2010 GBBD March 09 GBBD:December 2008 GBMD May 2009 GBMD:January 2009 Geese in a Row--and Ducks too Giant Hyssop Give-Away Winner Gladiola Gloves Go Native Goblins and Pumpkins and Snakes oh my God in the Garden Golden Groundsel Goldenglow Goldenrod Goldfinch Goodbye March Graham Rice Gramma's Afghan Grapes Grasshopper Grateful Great Backyard Bird Count Great House Plant Census of 2010 Green and Gold Green Cure fungicide Hairy Woodpecker Happy Father's Day Haven Brand Manure Tea Hawk hawks Heated Birdbath Heather Heliopsis Heliotrope Hellebore Hellebore Collage HelleboreHover Hellebores Hellebores Book Give-Away Helleborus Helleborus niger Help Identify Animal Tracks Henry David Thoreau: Hepatica Heron Heuchera High School Orchestra Concert Highbush Blueberry Hip Mountain Mama Holiday Stress Holiday stress: How Much is Self-Imposed Holly Honored and Humbled Hornworms House Finch Hummingbird Clearwing Hyacinth Hyacinths Hylotelephium I Am Truly Thankful! I'm a bit Bee-hind Iberis Ice on Stream Ice Storm Ilex Impatiens Indentifying Butterflies Iris Iris reticulata It's Here Its Grown On Me Jacob's Ladder January 2010 snow January 2011 January 2013 Japanese Anemone Joe Pye Weed John Keats July garden 2010 Junco June 19th 2009 Just Be Gardens Kerria Kerria-Japanese Rose Keter Dynamic Composter Kombi Ladybird Johnson Lake Anna Lake Anna June 2009 Lake Vacation Lamium Lantana Late to the Party Again lavender Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden Leyland Cypress Liatris Life Experiences Light Lilac Bush Limestone Liriope Liverwort Lobelia Lonicera sempervirens Luna the Greyhound Lungwort Lyme Disease Lyme Disease has gone to my Head Macro in a Mason Jar Mallard ducks March Birthday Bloggers March GBBD mention master gardener May 2010 May Apple Meaning Memorial Day 2010 Memories Mertensia Mid Summer's Eve Mid-June Blooms MidMarch Blooms and Foliage Milkweed Miniature Dachshund mishmash wednesday Mistflower Mites Monarchs Monarchs and Milkweed Monarda Monkshood Monthly Garden Bouquet Moon More April Bouquets Morning Light Mountain Laurel Mourning Doves MuhlyGrass Mums Muscari Muscle My Cat Smokie My Daughter My Dog James My Family My FIRST Enlarged Photo My Husband My Mother My Son My Yard Mystery Tracks Nandina Nandina berries National Cherry Blossom Festival Native Ginger Native Honeysuckle native plants Natural Habitat Nepata New York Fern Non-Natives Northern Flicker Not The Best Notecards November 2009 GBBD Now that's an 'ice picture Obedient Plant Oct 2008 GBBD Almost Ready Oct 2009 October 2009GBBD Of Gloves and Shovels Oh Say Can You See Okay so who or what is eating my plants Oliver Herford:I Heard a Bird Sing Operation Christmas Child Pain Management Techniques Pansies Pansy paperwhites Pay It Forward Project Pay-It-Forward gift-giving exchange Peanut Feeder Peonies by Mary Oliver Peony Perennials Perennials in my garden Perovskia Personal Poetry Personal Poetry: Petunia Phlox Phlox paniculata photo contest Photography Contests phytoplasma Pieris Pieris Japonica Pileated Woodpecker Pine Siskin Pink Azalea Pink Peony Planting Natives Plants on Ice Poetry Pollinators Polymonium Pond Critters Poppy Potentilla Potomac River Pretty Pink Peony Has Popped Prize Winners Product Reviews Project FeederWatch Pulmonaria Pumpkin Carving Purple Coneflower Purpose Questionmark butterfly radishes Rain Rain Barrel Rainbarrel Rainbow Project Rainy Days Raspberry and Lemon Sherbet Reasons I Garden red admiral Red Winged Blackbird Red-Bellied Woodpecker Red-Spotted Purple Red-winged Blackbird Redbud Relaxing Remember Renee's Garden Revised GBBD February 15 Richmond VA Robert Frost Robin Robin'sNestingPlace Rock Soapwort Rock Solid RockSoapwort Roly-Poly Squirrel Rose hips Roses Roses with Thorns Rosy Maple Moth Rudbeckia Rudbeckia lanciniata Russian Sage S.A.D. Salvia Salvia greggi Samuel Taylor Coleridge:The Nightengale Sanguinaria Scilla Seagulls Seasonal Affective Disorder Security Blanket Sedum Sedum Autumn Joy Seed Planting Experiment Seed Starter System Seed-Planting Experiment#1 Seed-Planting Experiment#2 Seed-Planting Experiment#2 (cont.) Seeds Sense of Humor September blooms September Blooms:A Series of Surprises September Surprises #3 Serviceberry Shades of Blue Shady Gardener:Gladsome Be? sharing Sharp-shinned Hawk Shawna Coronado Shirl's Garden Watch Siberion Buglose Skink Slaty Skimmer dragonfly Snake Snake skin Snow Snow in Spring Snowdrop Anenome Snowdrops Snowstorm Solomon's Seal Sounds of the Birds Speedwell Spicebush Swallowtail Spicebush Swallowtail butterfly cats spicebush swallowtail caterpillar Spider Webs Spiderwort sprained ankle Spring Buds and Bulbs Spring Has Sprung Spurge Squirrel Squirrels stainless steel water bottle Standard Poodle Starling Steam on Fence Strawberries Succulents Summer Flowers SunRays Sunrise Sustainable Living project Swallowtail Butterflies Sweaters Hoods and Coats Sweet Allysum Sweet William Teacup and Teapot Tete-a-Tete Thank You to Phillip Thanksgiving The Best Christmas Gifts The Complete Idiot's Guide to Composting The Gardener's Guide to Growing Hellebores The GGW photo contest I 'almost' entered on time The Multi-Hued Greens of Spring The Ocean The Seed Keeper Company The Sun Shines at Night The Thrush This Ain't No April Fools Joke This aMayzing Day Thyme Tiarella Titmouse Toad Lily Tools Toulouse goose Tradescantia Tree Sparrow Trees Trillium Trout Lily Tufted Titmouse Tulips Tulips in Spring Tulips on Thursday Turtle Crossing turtle garden Turtlehead TX-Bluebonnet Umbrella VA Gardener Magazine Valentine's Display variegated foliage Verbena Veronica Vinca Violas Virginia Bluebells Virginia Gardener Magazine Wake Robin Walt Whitman:Miracles Washington DC Water Fountain Water Garden Waterfall/Stream WBBS Wednesday Words Weeping Willow West County Gardener What Are You Waiting For What d'ya think Janet What's Happening? What's New in November White Embden geese White Peony White-Breasted Nuthatch Wild Geranium Wild Ginger Wildflower Wednesday Wildflowers Will the Real Turtle Please Come Out William Wordsworth William Wordsworth:The Daffodil's Willow Leaved Sunflower Window; Death; Personal Photography Winter I Am So Over You Winter is for the Birds Winter Light Winter Solstice winter storm slide-show Winter Walk-Off 2014 Winterberry Witch Hazel Woodfern Woodland Pinkroot Woodpecker WORDLESS Friday Wordless Wednesday: Wren X-Rated Yellow but not Mellow Yesterday and Today Zinnia Zinnia Bud (Plan B)