Three Daughters

I have three daughters who have grown, under my care, into women. They each sit beside the river of life and gaze across at the future which awaits them. Each sees the river in a different light. Each makes an individual decision of whether or not to cross over. I watch in awe, as they struggle, unable to choose for them the direction they must take.
Wendy waits calmly at the edge of the water. She can see the other side but it has no hold on her. She appears content to sit among the reeds and flowers preparing a quiet nest for herself and her family. There are sights and sounds from across the river that call to her from time to time but she is not a strong swimmer and knows her limitations. She waits patiently for Gods direction, assuming that he will either build a bridge or send a ferry for her to cross, if infact, that is His choice for her. Her faith allows her to seek comfort in the knowledge that God is in charge of her future.
I admire her faith. However, I worry that perhaps it is fear and not faith that ties her so closely to the shore, and that someday she may have regrets.
Mari Grace takes one longing gaze across the river and plunges head long into the icy waters. She is a strong swimmer, but doesn't take the time to prepare or to check the danger before she leaps. She has, on occassion, worn herself out mid way across, and would have drown if someone had not rescued her. Once safely back on the shore, she sees the successs of other swimmers and plunges in again and again. Her near fatal attempts have left her scarred but never discouraged. She blindly races toward the other side no matter what the dangers may be.
This is not courage and it frightens me. Perhaps one day there will be no one keeping watch and she will indeed lose her life to the struggle. I cannot bear to watch her, and yet who am I to say that the future she seeks to win is not worth the price she may have to pay? I only hope she realizes the cost.
Sarah studies the shoreline carefully, measuring the distance between the banks. She has seen the struggles of her sisters and others who have made choices, and paid the price for those choices. She does not look to God or anyone else for help or advice, but rather looks within herself and judges her own strengths and weaknesses. She knows only one thing.....she cannot remain on this side of the river. She must find a way across. She may have to swim, or build a bridge herself, but she will find a way to cross the waters. She has counted the cost of her crossing and is willing to pay the price. She knows she can do it, and when she is ready, she will begin her journey.
This truly is courage. There are times when I must close my eyes and bite my tongue because I know she cannot accept my help or advise. I also know that she is strong enough and wise enough to make her way into the future. If the journey is costly it will be paid without complaint or regret. I only hope that someday she will seek devine help to make her struggle a little easier.
Three daughters, three decisions, none wiser than the other, none claiming a quarantee of happiness or success. I am filled with both pride and pain. I am grateful that the responsibility of their futures no longer lies within my grasp.