This was written by a friend and fellow Syracuse University mom. During the course of my four years and her three, we have shared many, many thoughts and emotions via our fabulous facebook page. Mary's daughter and my son attend(ed) Syracuse and now and forever, bleed orange, as do we, their proud moms.
http://www.bostonglobe.com/magazine/2014/08/22/learning-college-mom/MSLiYQa8aOPQSumRkTdmqL/story.html?event=event25&s_campaign=sm_gp&hl=en-US
http://www.bostonglobe.com/magazine/2014/08/22/learning-college-mom/MSLiYQa8aOPQSumRkTdmqL/story.html?event=event25&s_campaign=sm_gp&hl=en-US

Walker Blaggins-Battery Steele 08-20-2014

A friend asked me, "As an adult away on vacation, a trip or just away, what is it that you miss? Do you yearn for home or do you gravitate back to childhood? Do you miss your hometown?"

I posted a quick thought, but I know I will add to this.

I miss the me I was; the wide eyed innocent, trusting child. I miss the strength of my dad's hug and the security of knowing mom was home. I miss knowing that my best friend was just a few doors down the street and that no matter where I ended up in town, someone knew me.  I miss the prickly feel of the dry grass on my legs and shoulders, as I watched, stretched out in a field of Queen Ann's lace, the clouds form all sorts of images against a deep blue sky. They say you can never return, but you can. Just close your eyes, be still a moment, breathe and it will come to you, fleetingly at first, but if you allow it, it will flood in on a wave of warm summer air, punctuated with a smile. Also my fiend, Dorothy told me to click my heels, that works too!

This is a facebook post from my much loved son, who is realizing he is not going back to Syracuse University. His time is done. He graduated this past May.......

Kj Mills

9 hours ago

So last night I had my first dream about school since I graduated. I think it's because it is getting close to the time where I would be going back to Syracuse. If this were last year I would be getting prepared to leave in 12 days. Having a full time job has made me think less about not going back to Syracuse, but it is now getting to the point where I'm going to start missing it. In May people asked me if I was sad, and I said no, I will feel sad when it is time to go back and I won't be. But my dream also said something else. For my Syracuse friends I will describe it. I was running up university place trying to catch the bus but then realizing that I don't have one, and that a bus will never come to college place for me again. I stopped running out of breath at the corner of university place and comstock and realized that I am out of place here. There was no place for me to go and stay. And I needed to get home and continue my work. My interpretation is that yes I am sad that I will never be a student at Syracuse again, but it is a good thing because I would be out of place there and I have my career to fill up my life. I will always cherish my time there and will come back every year as a visitor, not a resident. If you read all of this thank you so much for listening to me.

This is is what I sent to him.....

When you learned to walk, I held your hand; then you let go. Tall Spire showed you feathers, Waybright gave them to you, Saugus High School showed you how to choose the best feathers and think about flying. Syracuse University held those wings for you, improved those wings, handed them to you on May 12th and you let go and soared. What you didn’t count on was the gossamer thread SU attached to your wings; invisible yet strong, that will always hold you close, wrapping around your heart sometimes so tight you feel you can’t breathe. But you will learn to let go, one tiny step at a time, just like you did all those years ago. You will continue to soar, but never so far that you can’t find your way back, you just have to follow your heart, and that thread back to where the Vale of Onondaga meets the eastern sky, where you can always return, but can never go back. Transitions are hard; I still get antsy stepping off an escalator! (Heart strings to heart strings)