The Balancing Act: Letting Go While Holding On

Today, I spoke with a woman whose son is heading off to college. As she shared her thoughts, I realized that, despite the 13 years that separate her child from mine—my daughter is starting kindergarten—we’re both standing at the edge of the same emotional cliff.

We’re both experiencing that heart-tugging mix of excitement and fear as we prepare to send our children out into the world. Whether it’s the first day of kindergarten or the first day of college, it feels like a leap into the unknown.

The world can be harsh and unforgiving, yet it’s also filled with opportunities and moments of kindness. It’s a place of both brutal realities and breathtaking beauty. And as parents, we’ve spent years preparing our children to navigate this complex world.

We’ve been their safety net, catching them when they fell, comforting them when they stumbled. But now, as they take these next big steps, we’re learning that our role is evolving. We’ll still be here to catch them when they fall—but we’ve also raised them to catch themselves.

We’ve taught them resilience, strength, and how to find their own balance. And now, it’s time to trust that they can do it.

So, to all the parents, moms, dads, and guardians out there, this is for you:

Trust that you’ve done your best, even when it didn’t feel like enough.

Trust that you’ve given them the skills to find their way, even in the dark.

Trust that they’ll be okay, even if they falter.

And most importantly, trust that you’ll be there to support them, but also trust that they’ve learned to support themselves.

We’ll always be here when they need us, but we’ve also raised them to stand tall on their own. In that delicate balance between holding on and letting go, we find the courage to trust them—and ourselves.