Two things happened on 3/25, that brought up this Chinese saying: 儿行千里母担忧 (Er xíng qiān lǐ mǔ dān yōu) The mother's worrying thought follows the son while he travels thousand miles away.
First, my mother talked about my youngest sister, "She left on 3/16. It will be 10 days tomorrow."
Second is my chat with a friend about her daughter's choice of college this coming fall. I told her, "Better start this conversation now, letting the girl know that it's crucial that she sends home at least one brief message each day so we know you are okay in college." You know things can go out of control with so many young immature blood, drinking, partying, and no shortage of drugs and others.
Mother's nonstop worry about her faraway child might seem burdensome to the college kids. Yet, truth be told, this really expressed the universal sentiment of a parent's concern for the child's well-being, especially when the child is first time away from home or facing a whole new level of challenges in life -- academic, social, and self-management.
On another level, it reflects the unbroken emotional connection between parents and children, highlighting the mother's protective instincts and the anxieties she experiences when her child is away. The saying captures the eternal theme of parental love that transcends distance and time.
As for the children, another saying goes, children won't understand their parents until they become parents. It depends.