I can't even begin to tell you how much I loved this piece, Melissa.

To be frank, I'm glad my parenting days are over (over in that my daughter has reached adulthood) but of course we never ever stop being a parent until we've drawn out last breath.

It's a scary world out there and you can bet your bottom dollar that, given choice were up for grabs, your kids would choose you over any other, because the reality is this. They need to be able to lean on parents for advice (even though everybody else's mother allows whatever), they need to be able to sort the wheat from the chaff, they need to lay bare how they were feeling when so and so said, whatever, and they need at the end of the day, to feel safe and anchored.

Your children are very, very lucky.