One of the hardest parts of loving an adult child is learning how to stay close while both of you are changing.

My son has been across the ocean the past 6 months and just came here for a visit. It was lovely and bittersweet.

I’m deeply proud of him for testing out his independence, figuring out so much on his own, and building a life that is his. That is exactly what we want for the people we love.

And still, part of the cost of that kind of growth is that the communication changes. That has been hard on all of us, including him.