Selena's Haiku

As lovely as that
Autumn has silently fell
With yellow-red leaves

On the Way Home

I was at an information session in school about Napal volunteer work. It was fascinating. To consider ourselves as independant primary care doctors is exciting. I'm looking forward to the day when I can care for my patients and volunteer at a third world country from time to time.

So it was past 2:15pm when I drove into neigborhood. There it is at the end of the T shaped drive way into Woodlee Height, I saw in the distance a girl in white snow jacket with vivid teal trims, gray fleecy pants covered with peace signs, a great big bag in black, white and pink with cheetah prints hanging low on her side, long hair dancing up and down with every stride she took. She wasn't in a hurry or wandering around. She was heading somewhere with confident steps and no hestations. She is not any one else but my little girl Selena. I slowed down and drove close to her, rolled down my window and greeted her "Hi, Honeyball." She gave me a great big smile, the kind of smile she always gives me before she flies to my enbraces." She approached my car in several quick small steps and said: "Hi, Mommy. I will keep on walking. You can drive ahead. "

So I did, but somewhat hesitant to speed away. Selena started to pick up her pace, and was then runing along on the side walk so we are on the same pace. The flying long hair behind her took me to the same scenes just like this one in the years past, when she was two, three, four and when she was six along the parenting counciler who tried to help ex and I decide parenting time. This corner witnessed Selena's growth day by day, and registered so many glimps of our lives here, walking by, biking by, driving by, walking and driving at the same time like today...

Yet one thing is different. Selena is walking and running on her own today. I just happened to run into her as she was on her own path to her own destination. So I am a passer by in this picture. I an no longer the guardian angel to keep her safe and set a wall of protection with my car between her and the rest of the world.

At home, I fixed steak, brousel sprouts and rolls for my late lunch. She happily joined me. She almost never refuses meals with steaks. I asked Selena. What do you think of us moving to California after we sell the house? She said "I'm fine and pretty flexible right now." She added " I am not the same kid as I was before we lived in China for a year."

"Your children are not your children.
They are the sons and daughters of ife's longing for itself.
The come through you, not from youl
And though they are with you, they belong not to you.
You may give them your love but not your thoughts,
For they have their own thoughts.
You may house their bodies but not their souls,
For their souls dwell in the house of tomorrow, which you cannot visit, not even in your dreams.
You may strive to be like them, but strive not to make them like you.
For life goes not backward nor tarries with yesterday,
You are the bows from which your children as living arrows are sent forth.
The archers sees the mark upon the path of the infinite, and he bends you with his might that the arrows may go swift and far.
Let your beding in the archer's hand be for gladness;
For even as he loves the arrow that flies, so he loves the bow that is stable."
By Gibran