A Talk With My Youngest Daughter

Friday I sprayed the yard for mosquitoes while waiting for Patricia, our youngest daughter, to arrive home from college.

She and I ate breakfast at Dave’s then drove to Goodyear because one of her tires had picked up a razor blade and she has been driving without a spare.

We then drove to the unique home featured on my website because she wanted to see the place in person. We returned home and talked and talked and talked, she sitting on the deck while I vacuumed Rex’s pool.

This was the first one on one in depth conversation we’ve had in years.

Her maturity and insights amaze me. I’m so accustomed to thinking of her and my other children as kids; then, suddenly I see them as adults and I wonder where these wonderful people have come from.

Patricia told me about adventures with her apartment, college, car and friends. She is coping so well with the vicissitudes of life. She’s managing things on her own that would have overwhelmed me at her age. I admire her.

And she is so appreciative. She expressed again and again her gratitude for me and Ginny and for the way we raised her. And I thought it was all water off a duck’s back.

When she was a teenager, I despaired of ever seeing her grown. Some of the friends, ideas and habits she embraced terrified me and I lived those years in frustration, fear and dread.

She took a different path from one I would have chosen for her but her own inner strength and character (with a little — to me almost imperceptable — help from God) has caused her to really land on her feet.

Back then, Ginny & I didn't think we could survive her; now she is such a joy to us.

Another thing that pleases me so much is how well our children get along together. They really like eachother and plan things together and help eachother out in individual troubles. That relationship gives me so much pleasure.