Having some of my own struggles. Definitely different from what we have talked about here. I am the 62 year old parent of a 20 year old son and we are seesawing across apron strings out of sync with one another. He saws through a section and I snatch it back, shouting in my own need, "Not yet!" I loosen a knot and he grabs the end, shouting in his own need "Not yet!" Intellectually I trust us both and know that eventually it will work out, but it is hard in the meantime. Through no fault of his own, he is going to need to be much more independent much younger in many ways than is the case when one's children are only separated age-wise by one generation from the parents.

I feel silly even asking for your empathy, and also know that none of you will begrudge my asking. No big, threatening waves coming at me, just the normal and very predictable choppy waves of any life.

Some one give us a good song to keep time with the rowing or the managing of the sails!