Oh, another great essay, Maria. I just love your honest eye and descriptive words.

The little girl on the elevator--the assumption that the big dream for all little girls is to grow up, get a diamond ring, be a princess for a day.....

But...our beautiful, lovely, kind, brilliant older daughter is 25 1/2. She is a scientist, on a very exciting track, hoping to move to a different university to pursue her master's in the fall. She has great friends, both women and men (though the pandemic has definitely put a crimp in socializing and actually seeing them in person). She just moved into her own apartment in October!

She loves her independence, and I am so proud of her.

I remember that feeling of my own apartment....my plants, my music, my fridge, my clothes and shoes in the closet.....my paycheck....

Still, there is a part of me (and of my husband, too) that fervently hopes our daughter will fall and love, get married and be a mother. Am I just sticking to an old-fashioned fantasy of a full life? I think I would probably hope, if i had a son, that he too would fall in love, marry and be a father.

But I try to quiet that part of me....everything in its time, no rush, our lovely young lady has her own life journey...

right?

Sincerely, Alice

Keep writing!