My Son's Farewell

There’s nothing like the feeling in a mother’s heart as she hugs her grown child good-bye. My son, Zak, finally graduated from college in May and accepted a job fifteen-hundred miles away in northeastern Pennsylvania.

We met this morning for breakfast at a diner in Dallas before his long drive to Scranton.  

While I forked my eggs smothered in some sort of cream sauce, he talked about his recent vacation boating around the Florida Keys with his dad.

Zak saw the excitement in my eyes as I relayed how I love interviewing people and writing their stories. I laughed a lot, enjoying his company, but avoiding the inevitable—saying good-bye.

He'd been living in Lubbock and attending Texas Tech since his high school graduation several years ago. And although I didn’t get to see him as much as I would have liked, it was comforting to know he was only six hours away in the same state.

Mary Gallagher Williams with her son, Zak, in December 2010

Now he’s leaving. Not exactly leaving the nest, but leaving no doubt. In that moment as he got into his car, I had to remind myself he’s a man now. The world is his oyster.

Moisture brimmed from my eyes as I watched him drive away in his Ford Mustang. He didn’t look back. If he had, he would have seen my chin quivering as I swiped the tears away.

I prayed what probably every parent in every generation prior to mine has prayed as they stood in my same shoes: Lord, protect my son and guide him.