THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, October 12, 1996 TAG: 9610100132
SECTION: DAILY BREAK PAGE: E1 EDITION: FINAL
SERIES: RITES OF PASSAGE
A CELEBRATION OF LIFE, FROM BIRTH TO OLD AGE, IN WORDS AND PICTURES,
IN SEVEN PARTS
THIRD IN A SERIES
SOURCE: By DIANE TENNANT
STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: 125 lines
You know it's a really big deal when your dad kisses you. For Craig Lawrence, 18, it was leaving for Marine boot camp. For William and Betty Lawrence, it was saying good-bye to their youngest child as he left home. ``I can't imagine not having my children here,'' Betty Lawrence said.
She gave Craig a St. Therese's medal right before he left, confidant that her favorite saint could get him through anything. ``Craig knows what she means to me,'' Betty said. ``All he has to do is to touch her and he knows he has either held my hand or come in contact with me in some way.'' Then, to fill the empty place in her heart, she bought a Cairn terrier.
Leaving home is a hard thing to do, even for determined young men like Craig, whose goal of being a Marine had been set years earlier. Parris Island, South Carolina. Boot camp. A long way from home in Virginia Beach. But everyone has to leave the nest sometime.
``He was always a good kid,'' his mother said, ``but now he's a man.'' MEMO: [Appeared on page E3.]
MOVING OUT
Some thoughts on a transitional time of life:
So at last the mother pig sent the little pigs off to seek their
fortunes.
- The Three Little Pigs
Bambi's eyes widened in astonishment when out of the winter twilight
the Great Stag appeared. ``Your mother can't be with you anymore,'' he
said in his stern but gentle voice. ``Now you must be brave and learn to
walk alone.''
- Bambi
She ran to the oven and opened the door, and up jumped the
Gingerbread Boy. He hopped on the floor, ran across the kitchen, out of
the door, down the walk, through the gate and down the road as fast as
his gingerbread legs could carry him! The little old woman and the
little old man ran after him, calling ``Stop! Stop, little Gingerbread
Boy!''
- The Gingerbread Man
``I'm so glad we saw you tonight, Peter,'' Wendy said. ``You see,
tonight's my last night in the nursery, because tomorrow I have to grow
up.''
- Peter Pan
During the whole summer, poor Thumbelina lived quite alone in the
wide forest.
- Thumbelina
``How am I to live?'' cried the poor lad. ``With no more fortune than
this, Puss and I are sure to starve!''
- Puss in Boots
`` 'Scuse me,'' said the Elephant's Child most politely, ``but do you
happen to have seen a Crocodile in these promiscuous parts?''
- Just So Stories, The Elephant's Child
``How am I ever going to get out of this horrible place?'' sobbed
Pinocchio.
- Pinocchio
``Do you see that?'' said the Djinn. ``That's your very own humph
that you've brought upon your very own self by not working. Today is
Thursday, and you've done no work since Monday, when the work began. Now
you are going to work.''
- Just So Stories, How the Camel got his Hump
And now the Country Mouse was very sorry for himself. ``I do work
hard,'' he said, ``and I get little in return. It must be fine not to
have to work!''
- The City Mouse and the Country Mouse
At last, at last and at last she reached the top of the mountain! She
stood on top of the world! She'd climbed that big, long slope! She'd
done it! She'd done it! She'd done it!
- The Little Engine That Could
He could fly, he could really fly, all by himself!
- Dumbo
- Compiled by DIANE TENNANT
- Compiled by Diane Tennant
NEXT SATUDAY: MARRIAGE ILLUSTRATION: PHOTOS BY D. KEVIN ELLIOTT
The Virginian-Pilot
NO TURNING BACK
FIRST GOODBYES
FAMILY TIES
[For cutline information, see page E1 of the microfilm for this
date.]
[Appeared on page E3]
PHOTOS BY D. KEVIN ELLIOTT
The Virginian-Pilot
DRIVING AMBITION
Testing for a learner's permit is a head scratcher, a lip twister, a
real eye-opening experience. For Malisa Hawkins, 16, of Virginia
Beach, it was also the ultimate passage from child to young
adulthood. Test passed, permit in hand, Malisa was all smiles after
taking her first drive. But she had to drive neighbor Alonza
Hundley's car. Her mother, Elizabeth Hawkins, wasn't confident
enough to let Malisa drive hers.
OFF TO COLLEGE
The first sight of her barren dorm room was shocking to Shani
Ponteen when she arrived at Virginia Wesleyan College. The
16-year-old from St. Croix is a freshman. Leaving home, especially
when home is 1,691 miles away in the Virgin Islands, is a difficult
rite of passage. by CNB