Our son is moving. Micah and Nicole have lived in Missouri for the past year, and are ready for a change. They found jobs in Portland, and are pulling up stakes. 

Their dog Zane has been tense. He was after all left behind when they took a trip to New Zealand, and his trust has not been fully recharged. He watched as they stacked all their belongings in the living room and decided to take action. Zane plopped down on top of the pile. He was not going to be forgotten. They laughed and reassured him that he was coming too. Micah started the jig saw puzzle of making it all fit into two cars, and Zane paced back and forth, unsure of a strategy. 

Then they created a space in the passenger seat with his bed, nice and cozy. 

"See? You are coming too!"

Zane hopped in and lay down. He would not move. They tried to convince him that there was plenty left to do, and it was not time yet, but he was not falling for it. 

When it was finally time to start the two cars, Zane had a new reason to be upset. Micah was in the car with him, but Nicole was not. He whined and looked out the window, but could not see her. Yet every time they stopped for gas, or to stretch their legs, she was there too. He licked her and jumped around for joy. 

Micah asked for us to call him, to help pass the long hours of solo driving. During the eleven hours on the road he chatted with me, and his dad, his sisters and brothers. It was friendly. Sometimes reception dropped out as he passed over the mountains, but  it was a great way to support him. I could not do the driving for him, like I did when he was little, but I could keep him company. 

One of the shortcomings of loving people is not being able to do their work for them. They may be struggling with a feisty toddler, or job insecurity. Health issues can make everything more complicated. Even the person you married can be facing internal battles that you can watch but not fix. 

But sometimes, just being present with them on the road is enough to keep them from going off the rails.