Saying Farewell With Mary

College Send-off Party~University of Dallas "Crusader Cake Plops"

As a mother trying to prepare for my first child and oldest son to leave home for college in 6 short weeks, I wonder how in the world Mary said farewell to Jesus that first time?  Notice I didn't say goodbye?  I dislike that word as it implies such finality. I try to picture the whole scene in my mind to draw comfort...For heaven sakes, did Mary cry? 

As the Mother of God she was free of sin but it certainly isn't a sin to cry.  As Jesus left home to start His public ministry, I can imagine that Mary must have cried... tears undoubtedly flowed from the blessed eyes of Our Lady as she watched her Son walk away from home for the first time.  Don't you think she felt the pang of this moment in time, a youthful innocence now part of her past?  The life of the Holy Family was different now...Was she prepared? At the same time, I picture her as a model of heroic faith, full of grace, compassion, and love.  She must have felt so grateful for the time she had with her Son.  For the umpteenth time, She must have been honored to be His mother.

In many ways we can identify with Mary as we raise our children, knowing they are not our own.  God has a plan for each of them, despite our efforts to take control of those plans.  He inevitably takes them back as His own, one way or another, and yet we are never fully prepared for this day. For that matter, it's never easy to bid farewell to anyone we love.  Our hearts hurt when people we care about must leave us.  Whether its through death or just a physical distance, we are sad when that person is no longer with us.  Sometimes, these separations just stink.  
But when I really think about it, I know this is surely God's plan for us so that we might draw closer to Him. Not just on our own but through His own, dear, mother.  As we turn away with sunken hearts and swollen eyes, there she is to grab us and hold us close; she lifts us up to the Lord.  In her intimate knowledge of the resurrection, she understands what's best for us.  As painful as it is, we are stronger with each parting.  I am thankful for this but in my humanity I still groan...OH, if only I could gain an ounce of Mary's maternal strength...Sometimes just an ounce seems impossible when farewells are daunting.

I almost feel guilty for being sad as this is truly an exciting time in our son's life.  As one chapter of his life comes to a close, a newer and exciting chapter waits to unfold.

He has been showered with blessings and a promising college future {and beyond} so we share in these blessings as parents.

I'm doing my best to concentrate on the many gifts that have come through my son's life and being thankful.

The number in our daily household might change but the number of children in our hearts remains constant.  I struggle to keep this truth in my prayers as our family unit undergoes this separation.

Nope, I'm certainly not any closer to being like Mary and that's just the point.  Being like Mary is pointless, a lost cause in my case.  I could never be the Mother of God.  But the Mother of God can be a mother to me...And she is just that for all of us.  When I find myself gearing up for a farewell and putting up walls of defense, I picture Mary, a gentle mother.  I can relax my spirit knowing I am not alone when our son leaves home for a faraway college or another dear friend moves away.  Mary takes our hand and in her motherly wisdom, she models her strength gained from Jesus' departure. Providing us with an intimate glimpse into the resurrection, Mary also reminds us to rejoice in a future that is everlasting, a life that never ends.  For people of faith, separation from one another is only a temporary condition.  Change is inevitable but there is much joy to look forward to.  
Saying Farewell with Mary always means there's more to come...
Saying Farewell with Mary always speaks Hello to Hope.