When Our Children Go Away to College

My daughter is now in college.  I accompanied her to Manila to ease her transition from the relatively laidback Iloilo to the forever-hurrying pace of the Metro. The trip went smoothly but my journey was not.  Into day 3, I realized that the initial months will be difficult for her, having been used to a sheltered life at home.  When she sent a text message saying she wanted to go home, I cried. It was when I realized that the initial months will be difficult for both of us.  When our children go away to college, we come face to face with the realization that we cannot shield them from life forever.  As much as we would like to spare them from pain and heartaches, we can't.  Much as we would like to claim their fears for our own, we can't.  How we wish that we can be near them always and make life easy for them.  But we know we shouldn't.  Not if we want them to be the person that we hope they will be: strong and wise and kind.
When our children go away to college, we would want to send them off with enough money and food and clothes.  We save up for college in the hope that we can accumulate enough resources to help them get by.  Sometimes, we forget that the most valuable send-off gifts are more than material.  Our most important send-off gifts when our children go to college are the core values that we have instilled in them during the early stages of their lives.
Have we loved them enough to be accepting of other people?  Have we set a good example about sharing so that they will know when to be a person for others?  Have we taught them well so that they will love the pursuit of knowledge?   Have we made them feel secure that they will have the courage to plow through when things get difficult?  Have we taught them how to pray hard so that they will have faith in the face of challenges?  Have we made them laugh so that they can share their laughter with others?  Have we  been humble enough so that they have learnt to appreciate the wisdom of other people?  Have we been confident enough so that they value their worth?  Have we been persons worth emulating?
When our children go away to college, we come to realize the full magnitude of being parents. Have we prepared them well?  Have we too, prepared well?