Preparing your sons for the "other woman"

I listened to a fantastic broadcast on Focus on the Family yesterday that has been sitting with me ever since.  It was all about a mother who raised her son with the constant thought that she was raising him to be someone else's husband.

I have my sons for 18 years.  For that length of time, they are mine.  I have their whole heart.  I am the woman they will run to with their joys, pains, loves, hurts, successes, failures, dreams and heartaches.  My arms will enfold them in refuge.

But then these arms must let them go.

Somewhere there is a girl who will one day become the most important woman in my son's life.  He will have 18 years with me, but hopefully he will have 50 or more years with her.  What am I doing now to prepare my son to love and respect the most important woman in his life?

Do my sons see themselves as heroes?  Do they have the confidence to stand for something or someone?  Am I helping them become self-sufficient, capable to care for themselves and for others?  Are they learning charity, a love for others outside of themselves?  Are they developing an understanding of the world in which they live?  Do they know the value of hard work, perseverance?  Can they read and ponder ideas, form thoughts and opinions, and then lead out in boldness?  And do they know that falling is not failing, but a chance to practice repentance, forgiveness, and moving on?

I am raising up husbands for noble women, and fathers for the next generation.  I must keep that in mind, and while I love them with my whole heart, I must also one day graciously be sure that my sons transfer their love to this new woman.