Luke: I am your father...

In the story of the Prodigal Son, much is made of the father's reconciliation with his wayward son when the son returns from a dissolute life and had hit rock bottom.

It occurred to me today that the flip side of the story is that in order for the repentance and reconciliation to happen, the father first had to let the son go, to allow him the freedom to make what he would of his life, even though the father likely foresaw that it would end badly.

And I see now that as a parent, it's the hardest thing to do, to let our children go free to frell up their lives. But in order for either parent or child to really grow, it has to happen.

Even when it hurts like all hell to let go...