Lillian walked over to the maze with her paper cup of lemonade and looked at it for a moment. "What's this Mama?" she asked me. "It's a labyrinth..a maze that you can walk through and you have to find your way in and out with out crossing the lines." I told her. She started inside the maze and followed its twists and turns and I could see by the look on her face that she became a little confused and frustrated. "Can you show me how to do this Mama?" she asked. "Sure." I said. She wanted me to walk in front of her and she followed each step I made. "Do you see how when you think you are so close to finishing, you have to take a different path?" I told her. "It is so windy and curvy Mama!" she responded. After about seven minutes of walking and twisting we finally made it to the center of the labyrinth. "Here we are! Okay, now, do you want me to show you the way out?" I asked. "No Mama, I can do it myself". As I walked across the lines and left her to figure it out, it occurred to me that she is starting Kindergarten tomorrow and how incredibly symbolic this was.
For six years I have shown her what I know, tried to show her how to follow a good path and was always ready to have her follow my footsteps. Here we are, the day before school and she is ready to figure the path out for herself. I stood on the grass and watched my baby twist and turn and back track her steps and, in a precious moments time, she found her way out of the labyrinth. All by herself. She was proud as punch.
So, there it is. The first day of Kindergarten through 12th grade starts tomorrow. I am sure there will be many mazes and directions she will need to go. She may not know it, but I will always be following in her footsteps.
-Blessings
