David Thomas’ daughter received a document of almost infinite worth to a typical fifteen-year-old: a learner’s permit for driving. Shortly thereafter, David accompanied her as she drove for the first time.
In the passenger seat, having no steering wheel and no brakes, was the father, in her hands – a strange feeling for a parent, both disturbing and surprisingly satisfying.
As she looked to see whether the road was clear, they slowly pulled away from the curb. Meanwhile, Mr. Thomas checked to determine not only that, but to see if the sky was falling or the earth quaking. If getting from here to there was the only thing that mattered, he would gladly have taken the wheel. But there were other matters of importance here, most of them having to do with his own paternal “letting go.”
He experienced a strange combination of weakness and power. His understanding of weakness was simple: she was in control, he was not. But she was able to move to this level of adulthood because of what David’s wife and he had done. Their power had empowered her. Her newfound strength was attained from them. So as they pulled away from the curb, they all gained in stature.