Seeing the world on their wings

When my son Alyosha was little, I promised myself that I would show him the world. To this end, I saved my pennies and took him far and wide – to the Costa Rican rainforest, the geysers and glaciers of Iceland, the pristine beaches of the Caribbean, and the grand cities of Europe. With his red-and-blue backpack bobbing, he was an uncomplaining and companionable traveler, adapting to foreign cuisines, different languages, and the cancellations and delays that are part and parcel of traveling by air.Since I was the adult, it was, of course, my responsibility to plan things out as carefully as possible: luggage, plane tickets, accommodations, currency exchange, public transportation, and our itineraries. In short, I was the leader, and Alyosha’s job was to step lively and follow in my carefully planned wake. I miss those days of traveling with a small child and bearing witness to his wide-eyed wonder at the beauty of the world.The years passed, and I am happy to report that Alyosha has grown into a caring, responsible man, gainfully employed and living on his own. A few months back, he called and suggested that he, his younger brother Anton, and I take a trip together, as we hadn’t traveled as a family in years. I was all for it and reflexively assumed the leadership role, suggesting destinations and schedules. But before I had gotten very far, Alyosha upended me. “Dad,” he said, “let Anton and me figure this out. We’ll let you know where we want to go.” What a peculiar feeling. On the surface, it looked as though I was being sidelined. But that wasn’t it at all. If anything, I was being liberated. Yes, let them negotiate a destination. If need be, I would be available, should they need the benefit of my experience. I waited patiently, and a few days later, the verdict came in: Ireland. Don’t ask me why. But having never been there, I was game.When we landed in Dublin, I quickly became disoriented. I went into high gear, took out my phone, and started to research the public transit system; but Alyosha stilled my initiative. “It’s OK, Dad,” he said, like an old hand. “I’ve already ordered an Uber to take us to the hotel.” Melanie Stetson Freeman/StaffHorses graze on the hillside of Mount Eagle on the Dingle Peninsula in Ireland. Melanie Stetson Freeman/Staff/FileThe colorful storefronts of Dingle, Ireland, line one of the main streets in town. That solitary act set the tone for the balance of our visit to that stunningly beautiful country. Like a novice skydiver, I made a leap of faith, surrendering to the confidence my son projected in his capabilities. My organizational impulses were still there, but I quickly learned to ignore them, dutifully following as Alyosha walked at the head of our merry trio, leading the way, navigating with his phone, and providing ongoing commentary as we ran the gamut of sights and sounds in the lively heart of Dublin. Deepen your worldviewwith Monitor Highlights.Politics with respectGet political stories with respectful analysis.There‘s a world of new ideas in everyBooks newsletter.There‘s more to life, enrich yours withCulture & Learning weekly.Follow humanity‘s discoveries withScience & Nature stories in your inbox.Gain a spiritual perspectivefrom the stories in your inbox.Want to understand the deeper impact of critical events? Learn the Monitor‘s insight.Already a subscriber? Log in to hide ads. For the first time in my life as a traveler, I was not the leader. Unburdened of any planning responsibilities, I thought that I would be able to concentrate on sightseeing. Instead, I couldn’t stop looking at my son, the boy who had grown up in a small Maine town and, before my eyes, had taken command of the wider world. I followed as he got us on the right trams, obtained our tickets for the train to Galway, and identified cozy little restaurants he assured me I would like. Even when we missed our bus to the airport, he didn’t wring his hands. “Don’t worry,” he said as he deftly excavated an Uber from the mad traffic of a busy Dublin street. And then, “You see, Dad? I got this.”What could I say? Grateful for the wings that growing up had given him, I remarked, “I know you do, son. I know you do.” ALREADY A SUBSCRIBER? LoginReal news can be honest, hopeful, credible, constructive.The Christian Science Monitor was founded in 1908 to lift the standard of journalism and uplift humanity. We aim to “speak the truth in love.” Our goal is not to tell you what to think, but to give you the essential knowledge and understanding to come to your own intelligent conclusions. Join us in this mission by subscribing.