Well, I guess it's official. The empty nest phase of our lives is upon us whether we want it to be or not.
I saw a quote last week that said something along the lines of "Don't mourn the loss, rejoice in the launch." And after reading that all I could think was "blah blah blah blah blah blah blah". How's that for mature?
I'm extremely happy for my kids. They are in college, finding their way, officially beginning their lives as independent creatures. And isn't that what we've been working towards for the last 18 plus years? Yes, it is. But that doesn't mean that I'm not just a little bit annoyed that I'm left behind in a house with a bunch of empty rooms trying to figure out what the heck I'm supposed to be doing for the rest of my life.
So what have I been doing to fill the empty void in my life that my children's absence has left? Um, not much.
I attempted to clean out the office. I cleaned one drawer full of old paperwork and looked around and thought, "Eh. I'll finish this later."
I attempted to clean out the pantry. I cleaned out one shelf and looked around and thought, "Eh. I'll finish this later."
I attempted to clean out the hall closet. I opened the door to the closet, took one look, and quickly closed it and thought, "Eh. I'll probably never get around to doing this so I'm not even going to start."
I had all these grand plans to clean, organize, file, minimize, straighten, arrange, and sort! In reality I have had zero desire to do any of these things.
I did update my resume though and I've been looking at job openings on Indeed.com but so far, nothing seems right. Before kids, I was a buyer of electronic components, and worked my way up to materials planner and eventually supply chain manager dealing mostly with pricing of electronic computer assemblies and a whole bunch of other dull things. (My resume is full of boring business buzzwords.)
Do you know what the absolute last thing I want to do right now at this stage of my life? Yep. Anything having to do with any of that stuff that I did for 10 years. I'm thinking a position as an administrative assistant would be more in line with my goals and desires at the moment. Although really my dream job would be Mega Millions lottery winner but there don't appear to be many of those positions available...
9 comments:
I feel you! Your kids are doing exactly what you raised them to do and you wouldn't want it any other way, but it's hard!
There's something perfect out there, just waiting for you!
I was wondering how you were doing with both kids gone. You are still unsettled and will eventually be ready to tackle all the organizing/cleaning/whatever.
I was going to tell you that we have an opening for someone in purchasing...but seeing as that is not something you are interested, I shall refrain. Instead, I'll keep my eyes open for anything that might be of interest.
Sending hugs; you'll get past this unsettled feeling eventually.
I also wondered what you were planning on doing with your time. I think being a Lottery Winner is right up your alley!
Give yourself some time. I find that organizing is only good when I'm in that headspace. So, take the time to read a book, watch a show, and freshen up your resume. You've got this.
Yep. I hear you. I still have two at home, but Rhett works full time. And Flynn is almost 13!!! Our grown children are off and doing exactly what they are supposed to be doing. So why does it hurt so much?! And how in the heck did it go so fast? Take your time deciding. God will let you know where He needs you to be. In the meantime, think about afternoons on the couch with some Netflix and coffee. Hugs! You have done good, Momma!
Am I supposed to be laughing at your uninterest in organizing your space? Because I am. I have cleaned the big boy room. Once Mini packed her stuff, Curly took over and organized that room. I actually vacuumed both of those rooms yesterday.
I do think there are so many fun and interesting jobs that I would've done if I'd known about them. I think I should've gone into logistics. Essentially that's what I do, but not at the corporate level. ;)
Good luck. My heart is hurting for you. I might end up handcuffing myself to Curly when she goes off to college. 4 years before that happens - that's it. Wow.
It’s going to take a bit of time to settle into and figure out what comes next. Be kind to yourself. I know when my youngest moved out, even though I was still very busy with my business, I still found myself wandering around the house weeping a couple of times a day. So - read some books, watch some lighthearted shows and give yourself a little breathing room.
Oops my comment was posted as anonymous! Pat Birnie
I blame the nice weather for not getting more cleaning/organizing done. As soon as a rainy day hits, you'll be productive, I'm sure!
My youngest is in 4th grade but their Catholic grade school (and many other schools at the moment) are desperate for substitute teachers and I am loving it. I can say "no" if it doesn't work for my schedule and I love interacting with the kids, talking about the faith in that environment, and the challenge is just right - not too difficult but not a piece of cake at all. Highly recommend!
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