As my daughter emptied her drawers and packed up her bags, I was struck by how much this moment holds—pride, worry, excitement, grief—all jumbled together in one tender, complicated bundle. 

I’ve spent a good part of this lifetime figuring out what’s mine and what belongs to others. I’ve learned (am still learning!) to set boundaries, question the difference between caring and over-caring, and challenge the belief that being kind and good means saying yes or rescuing others.

As I shared in this week’s newsletter, summer break can feel heavy with shoulds and expectations. But what if this season could be different?