We�ve passed into a new era. The new era came with a electric blue silk sheath dress and a corsage. We�ve gone into the era of real dates. We�ve gone into the age of dressed-up children who look more like young adults than children. We�ve gone into the epoch of time running out.

As I looked at Kat dressed for the Sadie Hawkins dance last Saturday night, I realized that she will be leaving all too soon. Although I�ve been known to complain about teenage behavior, the truth is that I enjoy teenagers, both my own and those of other people. Despite the bad rap, most teens I know are interesting and caring people with ideas worth listening to and wicked senses of humor. Both their occasional cynicism and their idealism are good medicine for my complacency and tendency to resist change. They stretch my emotions and my mind.

I�m beginning to think that nature plays a cruel trick. Just when all the hard work is paying off and your children become interesting people that you like having around almost on an equal basis, nature asks you to let go and to go on without them being a part of your life on a daily basis. She asks you to settle for telephone calls and occasional contact.

I love Day-Hay dearly but she�s still a bit unformed and raw. I see who she may become but she hasn�t gotten there yet. Kat is just about three years older. I can see who she has become. There are still a few rough edges but there are fewer and fewer with each passing week. She�s learning to handle bureaucracy, she�s learning to handle the world of work, and, most important, she�s learning to handle herself. She�s learning when to push and when to wait. She has balance and mental (if not always physical) grace. I watch her keep heavy academics, love of theater, a job, and a guy in balance and I marvel at her strengths, not all of which were obvious even as recently as two years ago.

There are still a few skills to teach: doing laundry, making meals in something other than a microwave, and such. But most of those she lacks as much from lack of interest as anything else. I�ve watched her enough to know that she�ll suddenly be able to do those things when she suddenly decides she needs to. When it comes to chores, that child works strictly on a need to know basis and my idea of when she needs to know does not match hers. Still, we�ll work on them this summer when there is more time.

I see her stepping away with only occasional glimpses back and I realize just how much I am going to miss her. I also know that soon after she leaves, Day-Hay will go too. I love Mr. Philately deeply and I�m looking forward to more time together but oh, I will miss the girls.

Time is running out and I want to run after it.

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