The Tree and the Bird.

Once upon a time there was a mighty tree in a meadow. Its thick trunk reached high, its leaves gave shade to travelers, and birds gladly nested in its branches. The tree was proud of how much life it nurtured.

One day a young bird was born on one of its branches. It was tiny, fragile, and at first it only observed the world from the safety of its nest. The tree protected it, rocked it with its branches when storms came, sheltered it from the wind, and soothed its fears.

The bird grew, grew stronger, and one day it tried its wings. At first it fluttered uncertainly, then flew more and more confidently between the branches.

Sometimes the tree looked at it with concern: "What if it flies too far? What if it doesn't find its way back?"

But always, when the bird returned to the nest, the tree whispered happily: "You are still here. You are still with me."

Then came the day when the bird flew far away for the first time, beyond the meadow. The tree's heart sank – but it saw that the bird was strong, free, and its wings were born to tame the wind.

And then the tree understood: its job is not to hold it back forever, but to always have a place to return to when it gets tired.

Lesson

A parent's job is not to be a chain on their child's wings, but to be a root and a shelter. 17 years is about wings getting stronger – and the most beautiful gift we can give is the knowledge of security: "Wherever you fly, there will always be a tree to return to."