Every once in a while we experience life events that cause deep reflection. Today was one of those days for me. My wife and I took our oldest child to the university where she will pursue a degree in architecture. I’m very proud of how well she did in high school and am impressed with her clear understanding of what she wants to pursue as a career. She’s far ahead of where I was at her age.

Even with all her smarts and the confidence she had in high school, it was still somewhat difficult for her to take this new step in her life. She shed a few tears and got a lot of hugs from her dad. I could sense a bit of the “fear of the unknown” in her eyes when we left her in her new dorm. The experience we had today reminded me of birds pushing their young from the nest so they will learn to fly. I found a video that illustrates why even eagles need a push.

As I contemplate the events of the day, I feel a quiet assurance that my little girl is going to soar to great heights.