How do I grieve my child's childhood while still being present for them now

This is the question Mirabai lived in her whole life. She loved someone, devotedly, and that love kept transforming. The beloved changed. She changed. The form of their connection kept dying and being reborn. There's no bypass for this grief. Don't try to skip it. The childhood you had with your child was real. It mattered. It shaped both of you. Mourning its ending isn't weakness—it's honoring how much it meant. But here's what Mirabai knew: grief and presence can happen at the same time. You can miss the version of your child who needed you to braid their hair while celebrating the person who's learning to think their own thoughts. Both are true. Set aside time to actually feel it. Look at old photos. Write about specific moments. Let yourself cry. This isn't indulgent; it's necessary. You're honoring what was so you can meet what is. Then, deliberately meet them where they are now. Ask them real questions about their inner world. Let them teach you things. The relationship you're building now is just as sacred as the earlier one—it's just different. Mirabai's devotion didn't require her beloved to stay the same. Neither does yours. The love doesn't end. It evolves, like you do.