Worry

When I was younger and the kids were very young, I worried about how they were going to turn out as adults, are they going to be good parents, then when they were teenagers I had a whole new set of worries, where are they, are they alright and will they get home safe. Of course, some made me worry more than others, just as some came home when they were supposed to and others didn't. I'll let them figure out which ones. I can remember one time when my son was 16, or maybe younger, he got a job as dishwasher at Big Boy. He rode my motorcycle to work each night, well this one night he didn't come home and it became very late, like 1 AM, and I started thinking of all the things that could have happened. He could have gone somewhere after work and not called, he was to come straight home. He could have had a wreck and was injured and no one had called me. Finally, at 2 AM I went looking, luckily the first place I went was to Big Boy and thru the open back door I could see him slaving away. I was relieved and at the same time upset that they were working a young child that late. I don't remember what was done about it or how much longer he worked there, but was glad when he didn't work there anymore. Then there was the time he and a friend were out way past 12, and they were on foot somewhere. The other boys parents and I were looking all over and when we met back at my place, there they were, innocent as ever so they thought. They soon found out we were not happy. Oh, they had just been at the park talking to girls. Not to pick on my son all the time, the daughters were not innocent all the time either, like the time one of them was celebrating graduation and wrecked her car, at least she had enough sense to call me to help her. Then the one that never came home when she was told, usually not real late but 30 minutes at least except for this one time when she was out with her best friend and after she took her home she stopped by the college because she saw a boy she knew and the time just "got away" from her. When she finally got home at 3 AM i made her call the police and tell them they could quit looking for her because she was home now. I'm not sure that made as good an impression as I had hoped. Not to leave the baby out, she was the best about doing what she was supposed to do except for the parking the car thing in a strange neighborhood and going to meet her boyfriend at some lake. That time made the impression on her I wanted, think.

OK, so I've told all my stories, but you may ask why did I worry so much, It's because I never slept until everyone was in place where they should have been. Mom on the other hand let me take care of all the worry as she slept thru it all, luckily she wasn't around for some of the previous times, or she would have been up with me.

When they grew up and left home, I thought wow they are all gone and I can quit staying up at night waiting for them to get home and stop worrying about them, this worked for a while, now there is a whole new set of worries for me. I don't have to worry about how they will turn out because they all turned out to be great parents and hard workers. but now I worry about my grand kids and how are they going to turn out. At least I don't have the coming home thing with them, I'll leave that to their parents. Also, I know God has a way of paying back so I know my children will find out all about it some day.

Have a great day!!!
r