My oldest daughter, who is also my second-born child, turned 18 yesterday. I'm hosting a party for her this afternoon. She's moving to Montreal later this month, attending university there. Watching her mature and transition into womanhood has me reflecting.
My most important job in this lifetime is doing my very best to nurture my four offspring into happy, healthy, well-adjusted and responsible adults. I take this job very seriously. When I'm on my deathbed, if I've successfully accomplished this goal, I'll die a very happy man.
My oldest daughter is thoughtful, bright, driven, kind, funny and dependable. I can't even look at her without being overwhelmed with pride. Her peers in her graduating class gave her the "big dick energy" award, and she was a finalist for "graduate with the best sense of humour". I'm more impressed with that than I am by the program she was accepted into at McGill.
With two of my four children now in university, my primary role in their lives is as a confidante... a life coach, advisor and euchre partner. And a financial investor, of course. University is expensive.
In an alternate universe, one occupied by my ex-wife, now is when I'd be transitioning into the next chapter. The youngest is off to university and both children are now full-fledged adults. But, I don't live in this universe. I live with my eight-year-old son and six-year-old daughter. I still have plenty of work to do.
And I'm okay with that. I'm happy with all four of my children. To paraphrase Harry Bailey, I'm the richest man in town.
