My Back to School Grief + Joy

All of the public schools around me in Orlando went back to school this week πŸ« in what feels like the middle of summer to me. πŸŒžπŸ”₯ I love the back-to-school feeling and season,  but admittedly, I’m not ready.  

On Saturday, Matt and I will help Ethan move into his off-campus apartment that he's leased for a year.🚚 He's going into his third year of college, and after two years of on-campus living with a lot of challenges, he's thrilled to be living with friends and having his own bedroom🏠. I'm excited about his fall semester. He's been cast as Harold Hill in the Music Man, and they'll be starting rehearsals very soon. πŸŽ­

I've been an empty nester for four semesters and one summer semester, and I've been adjusting well after that initial six weeks of grief. However, I feel the difference with this transition. While we can't know what the future holds, I have a sense that he may not ever move back home again. πŸ˜”He might only come home to visit. My heart hurts just writing that,πŸ’” especially knowing that what he considers "home" may no longer be here—with me.

Needless to say, I'm hugging him a lot this week, and thankfully, he's hugging me back.πŸ€— 

If you are sending someone off to college, I'm sending you love in solidarity. πŸ’— If someone you know is- check on them. They probably need a little extra TLC. 

Here's a past blog about the grief and joy of this transition. πŸŽ’ 

For this week's Thursday thoughts email, I'm sharing something I've been reading/reciting regularly. I change the words in red to suit the day. After each line, I pause, feel it, and see it. It's like a daily prayer, gratitude practice, and inspired visualization. Maybe you'll use it too or be inspired to write your own. πŸ™

Today, I get to love on + show up for people.
I am grateful for being gifted a life of abundance and deep love.
I am brave, messy, and kind. 
May I leave things better than I found them.
May I be a lighthouse and an anchor βš“ for those around me.
May I love myself and know myself.
May I be an example of love, compassion, and integrity.
May I trade pressure + stress for pleasure in presence.
May I be guided and supported toward the next steps and delighted by magic and serendipity.
Today I ask for_________________. 
And so it is.  

Who are you being, and what are you asking for today? DM me; I'd love to know.

 


#Empty Nest, #College Transition, #Off-Campus Living, #Parent Grief, #Empty Nester Joy, #Gratitude Practice, #Daily Prayer, #Presence, #Love, #Compassion, #Integrity, #Magic, #Serendipity

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