Fly away
2012
“I don’t want you to tie it on, Mom.”
“Ok, but you have to hold on tight or it will fly away.”
“I WILL hold on tight,” she insists. Her chubby little hands grip the string of the balloon with all their might.
We step outside and a few moments later a bright pink balloon races upward. I look over and tears are streaming down my sweet girl’s face.
“I tried to hold it Mom, but the wind was too blowy.”
“I know. It’s ok. Maybe the balloon wanted to fly up high today.” I squeeze her to me, her dimples all but disappear as she watches her balloon swallowed up in the blue sky. My words do little do soothe her, but she straightens up and we walk to the van hand in hand.
******
I pull up to the curb and children’s laughter forces it’s way into the van. I glance in my rear view mirror at my kindergartner.
“Are you ready?” I ask. Hesitation is written all over her face, her body tense.
“You can do this. You are a big girl. Come on, hop on out and go play for a few minutes before the bell rings.”
The shake of her head is almost imperceptible and I know she won’t be going alone today. I pull over and park so I can walk her to her teacher.
She puts on her backpack and steps cautiously out of the van and grabs hold of my hand.
“Hold on tight, or she will fly away,” I think. We walk towards the building and her grip loosens a little. She brightens when she sees her friends and before I know it, my little balloon is flying away. Her backpack bounces in time with her pink skirt and her blonde pony tail swishes back and forth in the wind. I watch, tears brimming my eyes.
“This is good. She should fly away,” I tell myself.
But it’s oh-so-hard to let my little pink balloon go.
This week’s prompt was a picture of colorful umbrellas floating in the sky. I took it where it led me.
11 comments
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I really enjoyed this – how hard it can be to let those little hands go! I thought the image of the balloon floating away was really touching. who hasn’t accidentally let go of a balloon and watched it float beyond our reach?
NC Narrator´s last [type] ..Umbrella Of Hope
Beautifully written! Your mom and I couldn’t hold back them tears as we read this together this morning. Having had to let go of a few balloons ourselves, words can’t describe the tender feelings your essay evoked. Thank you so much for your beautiful writing. We enjoy reading your posts!
This was beautiful Stacey. It gave me goosebumps. I think this is such a perfect picture of what parenthood is like. I’m still hanging on to several of my little balloons, but it won’t be long before they are growing up too.
That was beautiful. It is so hard letting go. It was so heartbreak putting my little girl on the bus for preschool this year.
Heather’s Happenings´s last [type] ..Backseat Conversation
Lovely!!! Haunting even: ““Hold on tight, or she will fly away…” I really enjoyed this!
Very cute take on the prompt. I’m not a mom, but I know that’s how my own mom and my sister felt when school time came.
YOU MADE ME CRY!!!!!!
My littlest just started Pre-school. I’m experiencing this first hand.
Well done.
AmyBeth Inverness´s last [type] ..Interview With Nicole Wolverton
This was a very touching piece…very descriptive and it took me back to the times I sent my three babies off to school.
Denise´s last [type] ..Red Writing Hood Prompt – Picture This
Oh, I know this! What a beautiful take on the prompt and a way to capture that feeling of wanting to hold on and wanting to let them fly.
angela´s last [type] ..Chipped Nails and Fairy Tales
What a lovely piece. My piece barely has umbrellas in it either, but a similar theme! Get way to take the prompt and make it your own.
{I don’t know why commentluv isn’t working for me. I wonder if it has to do with my recent computer crash. Hmmmm.}
Beautiful. So precious.
Cameron´s last [type] ..Cheeky Brat