It's getting more and more.... real

Today we sent my sister off to college.  So I was thinking about all those new-beginning things you think about when you send somebody off to a new place.  How she'll like the new digs, what kind of friends she'll make, how she'll like the work, the atmosphere, how she'll miss stuff back home, how we'll email more, how it'll be strange not to have her so close, etc.

And all of these thoughts quickly jumped to another folder in my brain shouting, "HellOOOO!  How are you going to handle all of this crap?  Sure, Emily's moving 14 hours away by car, but you'll have a whole Ocean keeping you apart from the people you'll miss.  How exactly are you preparing for that?  Hmm?  Haven't thought about it much, have you?  Avoid much, Annie?"  So I was sad to send Emily packing (as was everyone else), but I also felt sideswiped by all of those similar emotions sinking in for myself.  

Maybe this was just what I needed: a wake-up call to prepare me for the real goodbyes, so I don't have a complete emotional and physical breakdown when I have to go.  Sure, it may not be avoidable, but at least I can prepare.  A little.