Welcome To Adulthood Baby Elliott

​He goes off to college today.

In the earliest seconds of his life, when they were fighting to SAVE his life, college seemed so far away.

As I changed the first diaper of my life, good Lord did college seem so far away!!

When he took his first steps and said his first words, college seemed so far away.

When we were playing ball in the yard and then when he caught his first pass on the field, college seemed so far away.

When he started high school, when he was suddenly holding a driver's license, college seemed so far away.

Shoot, even as I sat and Facetimed him in a McDonald's parking lot yesterday, college seemed so far away.

But it is not far away.

Today college is here.

I have joked with Elliott a lot this past year: "don't do it dude - don't grow up - I am telling you this whole adult thing is not all it's cracked up to be."

I have said that with such mixed emotions.

I know in that joke (or maybe not a joke) is the voice of a dad who has not treated the whole adult thing well, and nor has the whole adult thing always been a devoted friend to him. But yet, I also say it with great joy and great hope and great pride, for this kid - my kid - enters this adult world from an entirely different starting point than I entered it from.

He does not take with him many things from his childhood that I took from mine, things, it turns out, that will always want to make a war of adulthood.

As thankful as I am for things he will take to college, I am equally thankful for that which will not go with him.

I am also thankful that one of the greatest declarations of peace upon my adulthood was hearing the words: "your baby is going to be just fine." If I were to know I'd have to experience every moment of my adulthood war all over again just to experience that one precious moment of peace, I would do it.

I would do it without anything near a second thought.

For that little baby goes off to college today. And I don't need him for even a moment to redeem my adulthood - that mission has long been accomplished.

No, all I need is the chance to say thank you.

Thank you, God.

For as far away as college has always felt to me, you've always known this day was right here and now. You have guarded so many of his steps along the way. You have guarded so many of MY steps along the way.

In your quiet way, you have always encouraged me to treasure every moment, and I have. So that today I don't sit here wondering where the time went, I simply say thank you for that time.

What a gift. Every second.

For sure there have been moments along the way when I have not been there - and today will be another one of them - but you will be, God.

That is not just 'a' comfort, it is THE comfort.

My comfort.

For I know it will be true of his adulthood what has been true of mine, that no matter what, you never walk away. There is never an adulthood war too big for you. In the midst of all darkness, you remain a light.

A light pointing to college.

To adulthood.

To eternal life with you.

It all seems so far away, until it's not. And in that I find great joy and great hope.

Go get em baby Elliott.....

Welcome to adulthood, and don't say I didn't warn you 😊❤️