Those of us who are parents seem to assume that one of our principal tasks in life is teaching our children how to navigate this remarkably complicated world. Whatever our child’s talents, insights, proclivities, or special needs, we assume the role of master teacher: How to tie a shoe, complete assignments on time, manage a neighborhood bully, heal the broken heart. The list seems, and perhaps is, endless. And then, many of us discover, especially when we open ourselves to the possibility, that our children manage to teach us so much about how to live a meaningful life, cope with disappointment, tell it like it is, and sort out priorities. Most of all, children often teach us to back off, to let their lives unfold on their terms. B.J. Rich, has learned those lessons well.
B.J. Rich is a nurse clinician and educator living in Providence. Her son Cole, a graduate of LaSalle Academy, started college in Boston this fall, taking with him his casual and mindful approach to everyday life.