By: Nancy Whitaker
My children ask me each year:
“What do you want for Christmas?” and after thinking about it for a while, I decided to give them my real answer:
I want you to keep coming around.
I want you to ask me questions. Ask my advice.
Tell me your problems.
Ask for my opinion. Ask for my help.
I want you to come over and rant about your problems, rant about life. Whatever.
Tell me about your job. Your worries. Your classes.
I want you to continue sharing your life with me.
Come over and laugh with me. Laugh at me.
I don’t care, just hearing your laugh is music to me.
I want you to spend your money and give yourselves good lives.
I may need reminded of your kids’ birthdays, I recently called my daughter in Texas. She has 2 daughters who are both in college. She misses them but was excited to have them coming home for Christmas.
I am very lucky though that our family can get to talk through Messenger, texting, or Face Timing.
My kids are all grown, have their own kids and they all work, so of course, I am very proud of how they were raised and how they are bringing up their own.
I may not get to see family everyday, but we love each other and when we all get together, it’s a time of laughter, seeing the greats run around and sharing our lives.
Respecting each others lives and being proud of their lives, helps with an empty nest syndrome.
Am I nosey? Am I bored? Maybe, But counting my blessings has made me a proud Mama, grandma and great- grandmother. However… I still wish I was young and could relive those days of kids, bottles, diapers, and an old rocking chair. Hearing cries of a hurt knee or a bicycle flat tire.
Do you miss those younger days? Do you suffer from an empty nest? let me know and I’ll give you a Penny For Your Thoughts.
