On the Verge of Empty Nesting

Well, I never thought I'd be here...on the brink of becoming an empty nester. This blows my mind. I have spent the last 20 years of my life prioritizing motherhood. One of the reasons I began working in gyms, was because it allowed me the freedom to schedule life around the lives of my kids. My oldest is now serving in the United States Navy, and living on the other side of the country. My youngest just graduated from high school, and will be heading down south in the fall to start college. Now I am surprised to find myself in this place, a place where in the midst of over scheduled suburban motherhood, I never even considered...being an Empty Nester. How did this happen so fast? Life seems to have unfairly sprung this upon me without any warning.

So...what now?

Well my knee jerk reaction would be to freak out and cry. I'm not ready to be an empty nester. I'm not old enough to have grown kids. I don't know what I'm going to do with my life now. Will I still like my spouse? All of these thoughts have been swirling around in my brain for the last few months.

After some deep breaths, I can see that these thoughts are coming from my ego, which is trying really hard to convince me to succumb to the fear of my unknown future.

My true self, my spirit, knows that having children, raising children, and watching them grow up and become adults is all part of the natural flow of life. Accepting the transitions as opportunities for growth and expansion for both me and my children reminds me that life is moving in the direction that I want it to move in. Exploring this new phase of my life with grace and a genuine sense of curiosity leaves me with a childlike enthusiasm for whatever comes next. This doesn't mean that I ignore the fears. The fear will continue to creep in, but knowing that life is all about ebbs and flows gives me the faith to move forward with joy in spite of the occasional fear.

It's okay to fully embrace this transition with reflection. It's perfectly acceptable to slow down and listen to what was, and to hear where I should go next. Time outs from life and society are okay. Even the ocean retreats in order to have the strength to come back onto the shore. We as mothers and fathers are given the most beautiful blessing. We get to hold close, even if it's just for a short while, pure little versions of ourselves. We get to show them this world. We get to teach them cool things. We get to give them our hearts, and this is an amazing gift. Then we get to watch them strive for the things they want to accomplish. We get to watch them fall down, and get back up. And we get to watch them grow up, and bravely go into the world with out us. Again, this experience is a gift.

I'm so happy for my girl to go off to school in a couple of months. I greatly look forward to witnessing her journey.

So what is next for me? I don't know, and that's just fine.

As for now, I am fully embracing this short time of great transition for both my daughter and myself. And in the fall, I will sit back and listen to what should come next.

Best of luck to all of the mothers who are on the verge of becoming an empty nester. I am with you in both heart and spirit.

- Sabrina