Launching a boat must be the closest you can come to the experience of having a child without actually having one. As soon as you launch her, the nascent personality forms and develops. You smile at every burble and resign yourself to whatever water inevitably shows up in the bilges. You worry so, and wince over every bump or scrape. You know from the outset that this being is going to live its own life, and you wonder what trajectory that life will take. You want the best for.her, you hope nothing bad happens, and you do everything you can to prevent harm, without hovering or overprotecting. You realize, though, that some things are just going to be out of your control, and the day may come when she will leave you. You take lots of pictures. Seeing a really good photo of her at her best makes your heart stop with amazement.
展开▼
