Sending kids away to college

Growing up my mom would always celebrate this time of year. There was a Staples back-to-school commercial that would show a dad gliding on a shopping cart through the aisles with his head flung back and a wide grin on his face while his children begrudgingly walked behind him with their own soured expression. He was thrilled for his kids to return to school, while the children clearly were not. Meanwhile, the song, "It's the most wonderful time of the year," would play in the background. My mom would laugh and laugh each time that commercial came on! However, when it was time for me to go away to college, that laughter turned into tears...for my mom and for me.