Every month Martín’s parents took a trip to see Grandma and came home on the same train the next day. One day the child said to his parents: “I’m already grown up. Can I go to my grandma’s alone?” After a brief discussion, his parents accepted. They stood with him as he waited for the train to exit. They said goodbye to their son and gave him some tips through the window. Martin repeated to them: “I know, I’ve been told this more than a thousand times. “As the train was about to leave, his father murmured in his ear:′′Son if you feel bad or insecure, this is for you! “And he put something in his pocket. Now Martin was alone, sitting on the train as he had wanted, without his parents for the first time. He was admiring the landscape out the window. Around him, some unknowns pushed themselves in. They made a lot of noise. They got in and out of the train car. The conductor made some comments about him being alone. One person looked at him with eyes of sadness. Martin was feeling more uneasy with every minute that passed. And now he was scared. He felt cornered and alone. He put his head down, and with tears in his eyes, He remembered his dad had put something in his pocket. Trembling, he searched for what his father had given him. Upon finding the piece of paper he read it:′′Son, I’m in the last train car!”. That’s how life is, we must let our kids go. We must let them try new things. But we always like to be in the last car, watching, in case they are afraid or in case they find obstacles and don’t know what to do. We want to be close to them as long as we are still alive.

(Adapted from Unknown author)

This story brought back memories of when my now-grown children were young. They always wanted to do things for and by themselves. Like the dad in the story, I was always watching and there when they needed me to be.