From
Journal Entry 4/14/2026
I had a dream
about my daughter that stayed with me long after I woke up. It felt symbolic,
emotional, and honestly… a little unsettling. The kind of dream that makes you
stop and think, what is my heart trying to tell me?
For some
background my daughter is 18, a senior in high school, and getting ready to
graduate. We have a good relationship, one I truly value. She still lives at
home, and we’re in that in-between stage of life where she’s no longer a little
girl, but not fully out on her own yet either.
In the dream,
she was lying on her stomach on a bed, wearing a shirt. I had a pair of
scissors, and I was cutting vertical lines down the back of her
shirt—intentionally making it look tattered. I remember being very focused,
very careful, pressing down just enough to cut the fabric but trying so hard
not to hurt her skin underneath.
But despite
all that care… I ended up making a small cut on her back. It wasn’t a big
injury, but I noticed it immediately. And I felt awful.
When I sat
with this dream, I realized it wasn’t really about a shirt at all. It felt like
a reflection of this season of motherhood I’m in right now. As moms, especially
with daughters this age, we’re still involved. We still guide, give advice, and
sometimes try to help shape things—how they see the world, how they present
themselves, how they prepare for what’s next. In the dream, that “tattered shirt”
felt like that process… like I was trying to adjust something, maybe even help
her get ready for life in my own way.
But the part
that really stuck with me was this: Even when I was being careful… I
still hurt her. And I think that’s the deeper fear many of us carry, whether we
say it out loud or not. That somehow, even with the best intentions, we might
say the wrong thing, push too hard, or overstep in a way that leaves a mark…however
small.
The truth is,
this stage requires a shift. Our daughters are becoming their own people.
They’re forming their identity, making their own choices, and stepping into
independence. And as much as we love them, we don’t get to “shape” everything
anymore. That’s hard. Because love makes you want to protect, guide, and
sometimes… intervene. But growth requires space.
What this
dream reminded me is that we’re not going to do this perfectly. There may be
moments where we “nick” them emotionally…say something that lands wrong, give
advice that isn’t received well, or try to help in a way that feels like too
much. But what matters is our awareness. Our heart. Our willingness to notice,
to care, and to adjust.
In the dream,
I didn’t ignore the injury. I saw it immediately. I felt it. And maybe that’s
the reassurance in all of this. That being a good mom isn’t about never making
a mistake It’s about staying present, staying loving, and being willing to grow
alongside them
If you’re in
this season too, with a daughter on the edge of adulthood, just know you’re not
alone in these feelings. We’re all learning how to hold on and let go at the
same time. And maybe the goal isn’t to avoid every little misstep. Maybe it’s
to love them so deeply that even when we do slip, the relationship remains
strong, safe, and full of grace.
All my Love and Light,
Madison