First Day

Well, it is only a few hours away, and doubtless I have more butterflies in my stomach than does Madelaine, for today is the first day of class at culinary school. She's ready. She's got the uniforms, the shoes, the hats, the apartment, the roommate, the internet and a confident attitude. Today she gets the knives and the books and her first taste of what will hopefully be a long and rewarding path for her.

In her stage the other day, my hope was not that she learn skills, but that she would see what it is like to work in a kitchen. The die has been cast, so to speak, so I have no room at the moment for second guessing or doubts, but I do know that, to continue with the cliche, the path of life has many twists and turns. I am pleased she picked a direction that is in my territory, so to speak, but I realize that at any time in the future, near and far, she can go somewhere else.

So far, Madelaine has shown that she can seek out and step up to challenges in life. Given the choice to remain in her grade school one more year or move up to middle school, she moved up. Even though she's had some obstacles to overcome in the classroom with dislexia, socially it was a time of growth. She made several good friends while in high school, and, like so many others, escaped with a diploma. Finally in spite of the best efforts of the system to sap her strength and dampen her spirit, she emerged with energy and a plan for the future, which is more than I started with, and I think I've done ok. Just ok, but that's another matter.

The time difference has me over-anticipating the event, and it will be hours before I know how went this oh-so-important 'first day'. More later.