Time to let go

"Bye, Mummy" and with a kiss he was off to see history in the making. Football history that is. After a stunning World Cup performance the Columbian player Hames, (sorry, that is suppose to be James) Rodriguez was bought up by the Real Madrid soccer club. Today he was officially being presented at the Beranbeu Stadium in front of all his fans. Little did the organizers anticipate that he would fill the stadium!

Of course, my football crazed son did not want to miss the event and I happily agreed to drive him into town. Real Madrid's stadium is known to be safe and family friendly.

However, the closer we got to the stadium, the bigger the crowd grew until we perceived a wave of yellow swamping the stadium premises. All of a sudden, my stomach felt tight and I was thinking to myself: "What the hell am I doing?" All I saw was yellow t-shirts and an endless flow of Colombian supporters heading towards the entrance.

Well, it was too late my baby had disappeard into the crowd and my heart sank as I realized: time had come to let go.

My boy is turning 15 soon, he is a head taller than I, with shoulders wider than his Dad's. Fortunately he has his head screwed on properly and is a mature and responsible boy. Nevertheless, the realization that he is now evolving into a completely independant young person worries me as I know: time has come to start letting go. It hurts deep down but there is nothing I can do about it.

As the saying goes: "Give the ones you love wings to fly, roots to come back and reasons to stay."

Three hours later I returned to pick up a radiant young man in a Real Madrid shirt who's face resembles his Mummy's more than he cares to admit!