Reflection on Jesse's 21st Birthday

Here we stand — on the edge of something new, something unknown. It feels like only yesterday I held a tiny bundle of warmth and wonder in my arms, and now... 21 years have passed. That bundle of joy, all grown up now, standing tall, finding his wings and preparing to fly.
I had dreamed about this day for years — imagined a celebration so full of light and laughter it would echo in his heart forever. A grand send-off into adulthood. I wanted everything to be perfect for him. And yet, when the day arrived, I was overwhelmed by something I hadn’t expected: sorrow. A deep ache that whispered, "You’ve missed too much."