Leaving Children Alone

As a mother I want to fix things. I've become accustomed to being the parent, the counselor, the problem solver. I pride myself on getting things done. I'm good at problem solving and once I decide to do something I am tenacious.

But with my teenagers I find that sometimes the best thing to do is nothing. In the last couple of years one of my sons has gotten into drugs. He has left home and is down his own path that has nothing to do with me. It scares me to death to think about what he might be encountering at this very moment. I can make myself crazy thinking about him or what I might do to keep him safe. But time and time again I've seen that it doesn't matter what I do because he (and he alone) has the power to change his life.

The liberation in that, is that I have the power to change my life. So I bless him as often as I need to, and then I take care of myself. I try to stop thinking about what my actions will cause in him, (dignity?, insight?, recovery?) and concentrate on what my actions will cause in me. When I allow myself I can find serenity and even joy!