Arrivals and Departures

Here are some photos I took at Union Station in Dallas over Memorial Day weekend.  It was a cheerful trip with dear friends, giggling little girls, hotel pool, delicious food.  But as I watched my daughters weaving through the crowds of travelers, marching down the railroad platform without even a glance back to make sure I was following, I was overwhelmed with the realization that sometimes the hardest part of being a mama is letting go.  My ten-year-old doesn't want to go on our family vacation this summer because it means a month without seeing her best friend.  My six-year-old just graduated from the Children's House at our Montessori school - now I have two elementary-aged school girls - no more preschool for our family.  Some days, I wish for just a little bit of stasis, a day or two to find my bearings before we go rushing headlong into the future.  Then again, the constant changing prompts me to notice and appreciate what's going on right now around me.  One of the things I love most about walking around with a camera is that I pay more attention to my surroundings, constantly on the lookout for a glimpse of beauty that I can capture with my camera.  Even if I end up with no photos at all, my camera makes my life lovelier for all the beauty it helps me notice.

So, on our trip I made an effort to take time to listen to the girls chatter about their hopes for summer vacation, time to read an extra chapter of bedtime stories in the air-conditioned hotel room, and even a little time to stand back and try to memorize their sweet personalities before they grow up even more.  It won't be long, will it, before I'm dropping them off at a station or an airport, saying a more profound goodbye?