The End of an Era

My little sister left for college this week.
That's weird in and of itself.

I still call her my "little" sister even though she is 18 and onher way to being an adult.

But when I picture her, I still see the little seven year old running around the Christmas tree is pj's with her goggle and snorkel on. She's been the baby for forever. And always will be.

Still, she has grown up and moved away to college. The last of us to leave.

Its crazy because as she was moving into her dorm, I actually passed through my hometown.

I stopped at home for a while and I went up to look for something in her bathroom.

And there on her vanity- hanging from a light fixture- was her leather cord cross necklace.

Now I can count on one hand the number of times in recent history I have seen that girl without that particular necklace on. It was her thing. Her signature look. She wore that thing out.

So to see that left behind as she moved on was a sign to me.

That she really has moved on. That she is growing up. That she is starting the next chapter of her adult life. And that she is going to be just fine. That she is ready for it.

You see- her ability to leave her cross hanging there-signals to me her ability and willingess to approach whatever life holds in store for her in this new time of life and not getting trapped by the past chapters. Yet, the fact that she kept the cross and hung it somewhere she could see it told me that she wasn't trying to erase the past. That she is able to look back and see the lessons learned and remember the good memories made.

My little sister is all grown up and moving on. And I couldn't be prouder.