When life is changing
My children have grown up and left
My friend, the house is too quiet. There are too few plates, the phone rings less often than you'd like, and the day no longer has the shape it held for years. You did something good: you raised people who are able to leave. And still it hurts, because a large part of who you were lived in that daily care. You haven't lost your purpose. Your purpose is looking for a new shape. The bond with your children doesn't end. It changes, from daily care into a lifelong friendship.
Questions for you
Who was I before I was, above all, a parent?
A possible answerWhat did you love, what did you dream of, who did you laugh with? Some of those things are still waiting for you. Now you have time for them again.
How can I stay close to my children without holding them back?
A possible answerAsk them what kind of contact they'd like. A regular call, a message with no demands, a meal when they can come. An open door brings them home more often than guilt does.
What have I kept putting off for years?
A possible answerA trip, a passion, a friendship, rest. A quiet house can also become a workshop for you.
What does life as a couple look like now, if that applies?
A possible answerAfter years of being mostly parents, you can rediscover each other. It may feel awkward at first. Start with one evening a week just for the two of you.
Tonight's practice
Write down three things you enjoyed before you had children. Pick one and do it this week, even if it feels strange.
A thought to keep
“The fire they grew up by still warms you too.”
Open this moment in the interactive guide