What if she's not ready?

Ten days from now we will send off our first child to college. It's a whirlwind of emotions for all of us. She, having wanted nothing more from life than to get out of the house and explore the world, is now trembling at the thought of being on the other end of the east coast, unable to come home at will. I, being a very attached and enabling mother, want to tell her it's okay if she doesn't go. But the fact is, I know it's not okay. She has to overcome her fears and she needs to experience this chapter in her life. But what if she's chosen the wrong college? or the wrong major? What if she hates it there and she's miserabe? What if she fails out? Did I prepare her well enough to survive the rigors of college life? What if she loves it and doesn't want to come home? So many times in our lives as parents, we come across challenges that make us want to throw in the perverbial towel, to question all of the decisions we've made in the raising of our children. Be it a young adult afraid of going out on their own, or a toddler who insists that eating the green stuff on his dinner plate will take away his super powers, parenting can be a great challenge, and sometimes it seems it would be easier to just give in. So what is a mother to do when she feels overwhelmed by the business of life and fears she's doing things all wrong? Pray. All we really can do as parents is to follow the advise of St. Padre Pio. We have to "pray, hope, and don't worry." God in his infinite love and mercy knows what is best for us and our children and if we pray and put our trust in Him, He will see us through these challenges. We will still make mistakes and there will always be bumps in the road, but by entrusting all to our Divine Redeemer, we are assured that in the end, all will be well and we will be with him in paradise. College or not, here or there, the goal of each parent should be this, to see our darling children again in Heaven. If this can be accomplished, all else will be forgotten. Stand strong mamas, and know that God has got your back!