Wednesday, August 29, 2012

And Away They Go!

There’s something I’ve been wanting to say.

Empty Nesters…SUCK IT UP!

Forty-somethings…GET OVER THE HILL AND GET ON WITH IT!

There. (insert satisfied sigh here)

Unpleasantries out of the way let me explain. I’m a newly initiated empty nester. After years of being a full time home educating mom, focusing all of my time, thought, prayers and energies on raising good children that love God and others, my little ones are all finally grown up big people. Adults. Autonomous. Self governing. One’s married and going to college. The other has just flipped her tassel this last May and is looking forward to furthering her education this fall.

No longer do I have to worry over things like:

  • Teaching good manners 
  • The value of sharing 
  • Not to put Barbies in the toilet 
  • Looking both ways before we cross the street 
  • Stranger Danger 
  • Not to put the cat in the toilet 
  • Why we don’t play with matches 
  • Not to put ANYTHING in the toilet that is not meant for the toilet 
  • Dating (well, there’s still a bit of that, but it’s only a part-time concern) 
  • What movies they see or music they listen to 
  • et al… 


At this point they've either got it or they don’t and for the sake of my children-in-law of the present and future, I sure hope they do.

So why all the whining? What’s all the fuss? We all knew the time was coming when we had to look ourselves and our spouses squarely in the face and ask, “Now what?”.

The answer is as individual as we are. And that’s where I am. I’m happy for my kiddos to fly from the nest and pursue their own lives and dreams. I’m sorry they’ll run into headwinds and bad weather along the way and I’ll always be there to encourage and love and help wherever I can. Oh sure, I still have concerns and definitely will never cease to pray for each of their needs, struggles, hardships, joys, triumphs and failures. But it’s time to turn the page. To look at the possibilities that lie ahead. The road not-yet-traveled.

I’m thrilled for my darling husband to not have to share his wife much at all (even though it means more Jeopardy, Scrabble tournaments and solid butt whoopings delivered from me to him).

And I'm excited about the “play” button we can now push on all of our “paused” dreams.

I feel optimistic for me because now I get to see who “Me” really is. And it’s totally open ended as to who that could be. Exciting right?

Nope. No crisis around here. Only sighs of contentment, remembering good days gone by and a sense of anticipation for the adventure ahead. So…let the games begin!

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