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Terry Foster: It's Hard To Let Go

By Terry Foster
The Family Deal

Romulus -- I never expected tears as I stood next to my daughter Celine at gate A-8 in the McNamara terminal earlier this week.

Celine is a rising senior at West Bloomfield High School and we are trying to figure out if she wants to play college soccer. We sent her to the Washington University at St. Louis camp to see if she came back home loving the game.

We talked on the ride to the airport about soccer, school and strategies to showcase her skills to coaches. I've actually taken a different stance about soccer. I don't want her to play in college because her grades and test scores can get her into just about any school in the country. Why not enjoy college? But that decision is up to her.

We checked in with no incident. We even playfully rode the tram to her gate without holding onto the rails, just to see how good our balance was. And we joked and laughed as we walked to the line to board her flight to St. Louis.

Suddenly I got choked up and about the same time I saw Celine turn away and wipe away a tear.

For me this is the beginning of the end. In about a year we will be packing Celine to go away to school. I am hoping she stays in the state at Michigan or Michigan State where she would not play soccer or Alma College where she would play soccer.

But the bottom line is my girl is leaving the house and she has dreams of getting her education out of state.

I will cry on that day too. I will also cry on the day she gets married.

I remember her as the little baby with stomach cramps that I folded her legs back to give her relief. I remember her as the little girl who could not fall asleep so I stood under a bathroom fan where the noise knocked her out.

For about a year and a half Celine rarely spoke to me. I was told many preteens do that. Now we talk all the time about life, politics, sports and we even watched Pulp Fiction together a couple of weeks ago. We go shopping together where she tries to convince me to buy makeup and she asks questions about my generation over lunch.

I will miss those times. Soon we will text and talk on the phone as she transitions into her new life as a lawyer, politician or television broadcaster.

Celine and I hugged at the gate and I wished her well.

On the way home I could not even talk to my wife Adrienne. I was a blathering fool.

"What's wrong babe?" she asked. "Why can't you talk?"

My baby is an adult now. I said the first of many good byes and it is tough to take.

(Foster can be reached at Terry.Foster@cbsradio.com)

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