I went to Alaska last week. The 8-foot tall Grizzly Bear in the picture below was taken by me at an animal sanctuary I visited. Similar bears were known to travel the hiking trails we were walking and the rivers were I attempted to catch salmon.
While this was a relaxing get-away for me, my adventure made my adult-son quite nervous. Somewhere between his childhood and today we hit an axis point where I began to worry less about his physical safety and he began to worry more about mine. In his defense, it probably does not help his anxiety that I tend to travel like a 5-year-old. I am in awe of everything I see and fairly oblivious to signs that say things like “Stay on Trail” or “Bear Infested Woods.” When I arrived in Alaska, I received the following email reminding me of just how far he and I have gravitated on the parent/child continuum.
Mom, have so much fun and be safe please. Proper foot wear, spacial awareness and general rule following will not only prevent early deaths but save you from very painful and less than ideal ways to die.
Advice, when traveling, just doesn’t get better than this. I’m not thrilled my son worries about me the way I once worried about him. But then again it was an expression of caring that at times, like this, was priceless.
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In many ways our children have become our parents. I love that Michael is able to express his concern and love for you. I had the same experience when Ryan visited me last week and I was pleasantly surprised of how many advise ideas he had for me, from cooking, laundry and documentaries I should watch. All of the advise constructive and welcome by me.
It is so wonderful to watch our boys turn into men! So happy they love us so much!!!!
Big hug to you both.
I love this! Your son is very wise and obviously raised by a very wise and caring mother. ;) I love the care and concern shared between son and mother. And it’s refreshing to hear you travel like a 5-year old. We should all hang onto that childhood bliss and wonder of new experiences. I will never forget the pure joy my 5-year old daughter felt when she finally figured out how to snap her fingers for the first time. I never look at a snap the same way!
Kristy! Thank you for the comment. Yes it is so precious to see the world through the eyes of a 5 year old. Even when that 5 year old is us!