My nest is empty, again. She is a senior in college 3000 miles away. Goodbyes are mixed with the excitement of a new year and a melancholy feeling of my little one being out of reach for hugs and seeing her chopping the cilantro, saut
A mom called me and said it so clearly,
Honestly, I was surprised to meet my shy, awkward self at 56. There are days when I am out of my routine. I question, who am I? My friends have known me a long time so they understand when the inner doubter emerges, as does my husband.
Next week this web will offer a survey, a poll on the home page. What do you want to know or talk about with other parents? — How long the pain lasts (example: a month, on and off for a year, more than three years)? — How many are single parents? — How often do
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Sitting outside in the comfy star held night with three women from the east coast conference, the topic was confusion about how to connect with new people since there is so much summertime playful energy. One woman said it so well.
In my group, at the conference, men and women who are empty nesters and planning for the empty nest have heard: HOW DARE YOU CALL IT GRIEVING___LOSS? No one died. You are so dramatic. You are overly sensitive. You don
Have you laughed at yourself in reflection of some of the things you did on the way to emptying the nest and while in it? Last night, one woman said that it was not so funny, but after carrying the shipped boxes, shopping for more dorm supplies, meeting parents, college kids and navigating a new
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I don
On my own, I went to an outdoor jazz festival, Smokey Robinson, Dave Brubeck, Stanley Clarke, Susan Tedeschi, Robin Eubanks, Etta James and more. Green blankets on the lawn, blue tents on the side paths, kids and adults clapping, dancing, tossing Frisbees,
WOW I am in the leap of setting up a place to live, making new friends and yes, taking classes. I am attending a writing conference on a college campus with 500 women. WOW again that is what I have to say
I peaked in her room and she was curled up on her side sleeping. I just stood there, smiled, saw the little one still in her 21 year old soft face and said to myself she finally fell asleep. Those words reminded me of rocking her to sleep when she was so tiny. Isn
Natalie Caine, M.A. natalie@lifeintransition.org