Watching from the Wings.....

The voice on the other end was
unadulterated Joy..

I PASSED..Nana,. I PASSED.
I GOT MY LICENSE!!

My grandson yesterday,
got his driver's license.
It has been a long haul.

Months of classes and
driving with a teacher.
Then the permit to drive
with an adult over 25 for
4 months.

Then the Driver's license
written test. After the
second try there was a
slap of hands at the
office from the tester.

Then the driving test.
Nerves, and strange town,
led to a failed test. He was
harder on himself, more than
any of us adult could have been.
Which we weren't. We had all
failed at something, at one time
or another.

A day of practice. To calm the
nerves. As his mother knew he
could do it. She felt comfortable
with his driving. (that isn't easy).
A good day of visiting and driving.
Visiting old places for Mom. Great
time for the son to see where she lived.

Unbelieving of where, and how far out
of town she had lived. How far away her
friends that she rode bike or walked to
visit. (he hates living out of town)

Him telling her, she must have liked her
friends more than he did his, as he didn't
think he would walk that far. It was a good
day, especially in the days of mom's and teens.

But this was the day. One more
drive thru the town, to get comfortable
with the area. And then the test.

As time went by, Mom felt better.
It is a half an hour test. The longer
they were gone, the better chance of
passing. As the car drove back into
the office parking lot, the face told it
all. Got the license and back home,
with a call to me.

One more step and then it is time to
trust this boy and the Lord, that he, too,
will be a good driver, and live to tell his
child, how he did with his driving lessons.

Oh, the tester? Old school teacher. That
Mom use to have in high school. He is retired.
She told him, he found a new way to torture
kids... testing drivers. They both laughted.
And no, no special treatment. After all this
is the same tester, who fail the grandson
the first time.

He is growing up so fast. Hunts and fishes
with his grandfather, now a license, and
next is a job. He can hardly wait.

As his mother, grandfather and I sit in
the wings of his life and watch him grow.