In August of 2007, we packed up all our firstborn’s belongs and prepared to make the two hour trek west to Abilene.  I deferred to his mother and allowed her the privilege of riding in his car with him on his first trip to college.   I drove the family van loaded down with all the necessities for life in a college dormitory.  The conversation she had with our then 18 year old son that afternoon is not one she will soon forget.  They listened to his music and reflected on significant milestones of his formative years. (He had her trapped. She had to listen to his music.)

He completed his final semester of college in Los Angeles in a special program at the Los Angeles Film Institute.  In fact, he left his car in Los Angeles.  He plans to make California his home state for awhile.  Since he was without a vehicle I had the privilege of taking him to Abilene for the last trip to college Wednesday of this week.

Once again we listened to his music. (I was trapped this time.)  But his approach was different.  He assembled a mix of tunes that he thought I would like.  I will never admit this to him, but our tastes in music are not too far off…We stopped at McDonalds in Eastland for lunch.  (He wanted Dairy Queen since it is a Texas staple, but I could not handle that!)  I was given a lecture on how to eat frugally by ordering exclusively off the dollar menu.  Obviously there are some of his mother’s genes lurking in his brain somewhere.

I quickly determined that I was not dealing with an 18 year old reflecting on his growing up years. I was in the presence of an ambitious soon to be college graduate.  His work ethic has grown.  His understanding of people has matured. And his spirit is far more gracious. 

I have heard countless stories of parents shedding tears after drooping off their little darling at the dorm for the first time, as college life begins.  We didn’t shed many tears.  In August of 2007, Randall was ready to independent.  And we were ready for him to make that step as well!  But in making the trek back home Wednesday afternoon all alone… Now that is a different story.  My counsel to young parents: You had better cherish every second, because one of these days they will trap you in the car to listen to their music. You might just find that being trapped is not so bad…