Recently my son informed me that he was moving out west the week before Christmas.
He popped this on me in the most positive way he could muster.
He came down to the basement where I was in the middle of working out and exclaimed happily, "I have some good news!" I braced myself as I disengaged from my sit-ups to hear the "good news" "I am moving out to Oregon next Monday.
" My husband happened to be standing nearby, I could feel the tension welling up in him from across the room.
His only concern was "my wife is going to be miserable on Christmas.
" I sat there stunned in disbelief.
I have heard my sisters crying over not having their kids at Christmas for a few years, but it never really struck me until it happened to me.
I had never been without either of my 2 children on Christmas Day.
I was devastated.
I knew he was moving out to Oregon to be with his fiancé, but it wasn't supposed to be until after Christmas.
After he explained that he had just gotten a second interview, I tried my best to be a trooper and tell him he had to do what he had to do.
But as he alighted the stairs, I found myself in a heap on the floor wracked with sobs, no longer interested in sit-ups.
I knew I had to pull myself out of this.
I could not let him see me this way.
Although, I knew that he knew how upset I was.
I have never been good at hiding my emotions.
So I pulled myself together, finished my workout and went up to take a nice hot Jacuzzi.
It was there I managed to talk myself into being the adult, being the mom.
I knew this day would come, but I hadn't expected it so soon.
Wasn't it just yesterday when they were running down the stairs in their jammies with the joy and excitement of Santa in their eyes, overjoyed with the pile of presents under the tree? How can it possibly be twenty-something years later.
Where does the time go? I can't even begin to convey what every mother and father knows when their children finally fly the nest.
You have to be happy for them, but the emptiness they leave behind can be overwhelming.
We must learn to fill up our lives with other things.
I see so many parents that are so consumed with their kids; the soccer practice and the tennis lessons, and the recitals.
That's wonderful to be so involved in their lives, and kudos to the parents that are, but don't forget about yourselves.
If you don't take some time for yourselves, you will be so lost when they do finally leave, that it's likely you won't know what to do with all that free time.
I wanted to share this with every parent because the best advice I can offer is this; Brace yourselves.
It is never going to be easy.
But knowing they are a phone call away, well I guess it just has to be the "next best thing to being there.
"
He popped this on me in the most positive way he could muster.
He came down to the basement where I was in the middle of working out and exclaimed happily, "I have some good news!" I braced myself as I disengaged from my sit-ups to hear the "good news" "I am moving out to Oregon next Monday.
" My husband happened to be standing nearby, I could feel the tension welling up in him from across the room.
His only concern was "my wife is going to be miserable on Christmas.
" I sat there stunned in disbelief.
I have heard my sisters crying over not having their kids at Christmas for a few years, but it never really struck me until it happened to me.
I had never been without either of my 2 children on Christmas Day.
I was devastated.
I knew he was moving out to Oregon to be with his fiancé, but it wasn't supposed to be until after Christmas.
After he explained that he had just gotten a second interview, I tried my best to be a trooper and tell him he had to do what he had to do.
But as he alighted the stairs, I found myself in a heap on the floor wracked with sobs, no longer interested in sit-ups.
I knew I had to pull myself out of this.
I could not let him see me this way.
Although, I knew that he knew how upset I was.
I have never been good at hiding my emotions.
So I pulled myself together, finished my workout and went up to take a nice hot Jacuzzi.
It was there I managed to talk myself into being the adult, being the mom.
I knew this day would come, but I hadn't expected it so soon.
Wasn't it just yesterday when they were running down the stairs in their jammies with the joy and excitement of Santa in their eyes, overjoyed with the pile of presents under the tree? How can it possibly be twenty-something years later.
Where does the time go? I can't even begin to convey what every mother and father knows when their children finally fly the nest.
You have to be happy for them, but the emptiness they leave behind can be overwhelming.
We must learn to fill up our lives with other things.
I see so many parents that are so consumed with their kids; the soccer practice and the tennis lessons, and the recitals.
That's wonderful to be so involved in their lives, and kudos to the parents that are, but don't forget about yourselves.
If you don't take some time for yourselves, you will be so lost when they do finally leave, that it's likely you won't know what to do with all that free time.
I wanted to share this with every parent because the best advice I can offer is this; Brace yourselves.
It is never going to be easy.
But knowing they are a phone call away, well I guess it just has to be the "next best thing to being there.
"
Source...