We all have them, right?

When our youngest son left for University four years ago, our lives changed.

I found it a difficult transition.

We had this great routine going and I enjoyed it.

The change was startling. 

It was quiet. No, startling is the perfect description.

I was expecting it, excited about it. This is what we’ve worked for! Even so, it was a difficult change in our routine.

This morning, as we prepare for Senior year, I was thinking about where we’re at today and how we got here.

I started thinking about our routines. There is much to say about routines. They are what builds our days.

My question to you is, do you consciously define your routine or does someone else?

When our nest became empty, we had choices to make.

What & who do we fill this time with?

I like to be a goal setter but found myself struggling.

Was I where I wanted to be at this point in my life?

What do I & we do now?

Not small stuff.

My lesson is that expectation and excitement don’t ease the difficulty that change brings. Whether you’re prepared or not, any change can be hard. What made it easier was to acknowledge the difficulty and push forward to a new routine, a new normal.

How are you dealing with your empty nest?