Can you relate to this story?
“We’re here, parking the car,” said the ringing text on my phone. Door opens and in walks my kids, dog, grocery bags, and presents for Mom. Honestly, I just want that hand-written love letter about what a great mom I am. Oh, I see the card. Yippee. Who doesn’t want that love letter? Come on. You know you re- read long after this day ends.
They are cooking brunch. They know my favorites: lox, red onion, olive bread, goat cheese, apricot jam, guacamole, cucumbers, pumpkin muffins, and a hot coffee latte. Easy. Delicious. We sit on the patio in jeans. I am so happy.
The house is quiet now. They are back to their lives. I am still re-inventing mine, again. Checking emails. Going for a late walk and wondering, now what?
I know I need to re-focus how I want to spend my non-working time and with whom. I thought it would be easy at this stage of life, but my interests and friends have changed.
People in the big city seem to live on a routine. Have you noticed that? It isn’t easy fitting in friendship time or making new friends, let alone traffic and parking. I am not giving up. There is a tribe for me. One or two meaningful friends will do.
Anyhow. I know I need to meander wider and deeper about my passions. I want to get lost in them and then look up at my phone and say, I can’t believe how fast this day has gone. So fun!
Time to be more playful. When I throw myself into things I love to do, I am so happy. I will re- visit my WHAT’S FUN FOR ME and then begin.
Wishing you ease in finding your passions and then doing them.
Natalie
Natalie Caine, M.A. natalie@lifeintransition.org
I love this and look forward to reading your posts. I feel I am exactly where you are. Great adult kids, friends that have gone by the wayside and a future that is a blank canvas
I enjoyed your writing style and look forward to reading more of your posts. Mother’s Day is very difficult in an empty nest – the house seems especially empty that day. This year I hosted a Mother’s Day brunch for other empty-nest mothers; it really helped me deal with it more positively.
My life has just gone through the looking glass because job loss at 63 then immediately cross to live in my daughters household. All in two weeks! I need your posts! I lost them for awhile them just as all this happened they reappeared. Thank you!
N(my 4th child) I also am feeling a rejection of my lifestyle. My daughter who grew up competing with horses, who loves our great dane, who helped me nurture countless wild animal babies, now is going off to college where she hopes to major in advertising and is done “with all that animal and farm stuff”. Not only do I feel lost, I feel that my lifestyle is in question.
Thanks everyone, I now just saw my son graduate from HS and he is the last of four. I miss them all but what is next…I have a great husband, a fulfilling career but the fear of the unknown is terrifying. I feel like that college senior with no direction. Help!