I recently joined my youngest daughter as she unloaded two of her children, my grandchildren, at the college of their choice. It’s my grandson, Maddox’s, first year of college, and the first year for either of them to be at this particular college, so everything was new and exciting to all of us. Maddox’s apartment was on the fourth floor with no elevator. Needless to say, I choose to be the one who stayed in the apartment and put things away while my sweet daughter, husband and grandkids went up and down the stairs with everything from a microwave to a guitar. 

It didn’t take long for me to realize my grandson was overwhelmed. Now, for the record, I’m not one to worry about kids getting overwhelmed. A little overwhelmed never hurt anyone. In fact, overwhelmed every now and then allows us to work on lots of our fruits of the spirit, like patience and kindness. But, I’ll save that for another blog. On this particular day, I was sensitive to it because it was about 100 degrees, four flights of stairs, a new experience, and four women (grandma, mom, sister, girlfriend) offering advice on everything from where to put his underwear to how and when to wash clothes. It would have been overwhelming for anyone!!!! 

After we had all things settled (bed made, TV up, refrigerator and microwave stacked appropriately, clothes mostly put away, piano and guitar up), it was time for the fateful trip to Walmart for all the real essentials, like food. I looked at Maddox’s overwhelmed face and said, “Do you want to do Walmart alone or do you want us to help, because if you’re good, we’re good to go home?” He looked at the faces of four women who love him very much and politely said, “I think I can do it.” “Then, we’re out of here,” I said. In full disclosure, we didn’t all leave. I’m pretty sure you can guess—girl friend stayed and more experienced college sister was allowed to stay. Mom, 2 papa (who really wasn’t as invested as we were anyway) and I left. 

And that’s what we have to do, folks. We have to leave them. It’s not easy. It’s not fun. It’s scary. It’s nerve-racking. As we drove off, we passed probably 50 young men, shirts off and no masks on, playing volleyball and basketball and I thought, “There you have it. Not a care in the world.” But, didn’t we do the same? No, it wasn’t corona virus during my college years, but it was Vietnam War and rioters and protesters. It was far from a peaceful time, but I went to college like I didn’t have a care in the world. I did, of course. I cared about the state of our country, but I still had to go to college. 

Our children today are playing out the cards dealt to them. This college experience will not be “normal” in many ways, but it will be theirs to claim and figure out. It was hard leaving my grandkids, but I trust their preparation. I trust my own kids have put the “essentials” into my grandkids and, while they won’t know everything and will make a few mistakes, guaranteed, they will survive. 

If you have “grands” headed out into the great unknown this year, we are praying for you to rest easy and give them over to God and their upbringing. And, if you happen to have a spare $25.00 or a batch of cookies to send their way, do so. They will think you ROCK!! And you do!