My daughter ultimately chose to attend the distant summer arts program. I hated the thought of her leaving, but as I helped her pack her bags and watched her pull away into her own future, I finally understood the true lesson of that parking lot promise.
We cannot control the detours life forces upon us, nor can we undo the well-meaning mistakes of the people who raised us. All we can do is refuse to pass down our fears, tell the truth when it matters most, and let the people we love make their own choices.
