18 Years...

There are 18 years in this face.
This beautiful, grown-up face.
When did this happen?
How can there already be 18 years in this face?







I see all 18 years of laughter.
I see all 18 years of tears.
I see all 18 years of hard work.
I see all 18 years of pure joy.
In this one picture.

This is the one that made me a mom.
This is the one that caused chaos to reign down in one fell swoop before she was born.
That might have had more to do with the whole unwed, teenage mother thing now that I think about it.
This is the one that started the madness.




How do I know if I've done right by her?
How do I let this one, above all the rest, go off to live HER life?
How do I trust her strength and let it happen?
How do I now convince myself that she's an adult.

18 years.
In one picture.
I can see all 18 years of her.

In one picture I see potential.
Another 18 years.
And another.
And another...

She is life...