College is ending for another year and today is our last day as an empty nest couple. I can’t lie to you; I have bitter-sweet emotions on this one. Obviously I love, and more importantly, actually like our college kids but . . .
Listen, Tom and I have established this new pattern to our routine and frankly, we like it. We like doing dorky things like watching (interactively) Jeopardy. We like not having dinners together. We like being in the same home but not necessarily in the same room together – and in contrast, we have fabulous conversations while just kicking back and letting the stress of the day wash out of us. We love our spontaneous date nights. We love the freedom of just acting like adults . . who are temporarily childless.
Then there are the things we like to do, outside of our relationship: he has golf and football (which really never stops you know – did you know that?? Coaches work at least 11 months a year. Plus, just for the record, he is a volunteer coach – give him the props folks. I, for one, know I will be a little less critical of the sideline now that I am in the game from this position). But, I digress . . . he has golf, football, and his workout routine. I have running and arts/cultural and about a zillion television shows I enjoy. We have a nice blend of us/me time and we like it.
I understand that once the kids return, will still be these people but now we have to remember how to share – with children – who have been adults for 10 months. Young adults who have set their own schedules, made their own rules, and created their own hours . . and now they are back in our home.
Yap, this is a bitter-sweet return to a full house.
Assignment: Remind me of this in August when I am crying because my college aged children are leaving home again, will you?
A HARD WAY TO LEARN: Even at 50, life is still trying to teach me lessons.
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