As I write this, my husband is on his way to take his parents back to the airport after a for a one-week visit. Brandon is off getting ready for school, after a tearful goodbye. I expect more tears to follow. Goodbyes are always hard for him. They are hard for all of us, but they are always extra-hard on him.

It never fails to amaze me the depth of connection that my son has for his grandparents, and really all of the extended family, that he rarely sees. It’s as if there is an invisible tie that binds him to these people. There is some chemistry that makes him always feels safe and loved in their presence, unlike anyone else.

I must admit, I don’t quite understand it. I never had that kind of relationship with my extended family. I didn’t grow up with many of them around, similar to Brandon. Visiting them was always fun, but I didn’t know them well enough to form a strong attachment. Maybe that’s the difference between my son and me… It takes me time and effort to develop a deep relationship with someone, while he loves with his whole heart open from minute one. A good thing, I suppose. And a scary thing, to me.

So this morning I will provide the comfort and stability of a mother. Another relationship with those invisible ties that run deeper than I would have ever though possible, until having a child. The love that is a universal, unceasing presence, not like the the ocean that lies an hour away from us. There may be storms on the surface – frustrations and stresses of the day-to-day – but in its depths it is the same. It’s always there for us to visit, to tap into and gather strength from, when we need it.