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Michelle Lisa Cohen

Musings From An Empty Nest

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And So It Starts…

July 31, 2014 by Michelle Lisa Cohen 25 Comments

The early morning light in my bedroom is grey today, which is unusual for late July. It is Sunday. My Yorkie, Jasper, is curled in the center of my bed in that warm sleepiness that I left behind to move to this oversized oatmeal armchair that is my writing perch.

The house is heavy with silence. My children are spending the weekend with their father for his birthday. This is the preview. This is how my mornings will be when, in just a few weeks my son, Marc, returns to his third year at college across the country and my daughter, Melissa, starts her first.

As I sit here, my mind files through old Sunday morning images of their childhood. I struggle to live, just for a moment, in the flashbacks. The soft thump of toddlers’ bare feet running on the wood floor, screams of delight as they chase each other. The demands for breakfast in those little voices that question everything with a slight head tilt and scrunched brow.

Then there were the pre-teen years; the two of them, pajama clad, sleepy and hair tousled in front of the television. SpongeBob managing to drown out the clamor of spatulas, pots and plates as I prepared mini waffles or scrambled eggs.

In high school, they rarely surfaced before ten. They slept, dream-filled and safe, through morning cartoons.

During those teen years, there was no sound of them when I woke, but I still opened my eyes to a sense of symmetry. There was a feeling of balance in knowing I was on one side of the house and they were on the other. They were the two weights that calibrated the scale that is my life.

Since their births, I have thought of this time when they would both leave for college. I have always felt peace in recognizing that it is part of the brilliant unfolding of life. How rewarding it has been to feel the evolution of my relationship to them. The grip of their doughy baby fingers around mine that later became tight toddler neck squeezes. As they continued to grow, they reached for my hand to guide and reassure. The years pushed us forward. Each one unfolded, vibrant tapestries woven from moments of joy, sadness, surprise. Now we share long hugs and those knowing glances that only people with deep connection give each other. What an immense privilege to have been their anchor, feel their love and to witness them expand at life’s insistence.

Of late I have felt a squishy swelling in my heart. It is pride and excitement for them to be on the cusp of the kind of adventures and absolute possibilities that only youth allows, but I feel a slight sting. They have carried me through the years. Marc and Melissa have been the foundation of my purpose, the reason for my truth. My ache is not from a sense of loss but a feeling of impermanence. The reality that nothing remains unchanged is bitter, but it is also magnificent. They will never need me in the same way, but I have a deep knowing that, no matter what lies ahead, their lives began in my arms and every layer since was built on the foundation of that love.

The sun is setting. Sunday is almost over. I have just returned to my writing perch. The kids are back from the weekend with their father. Melissa is listening to music in her room. I walk in and watch her as she tries on necklaces in front of the mirror. Marc is playing with Jasper, laughing. There is life in the house and its precious sounds are fleeting.

I have always been aware of this time arriving. I have prepared to have a life that will hold me up and bring new chapters. There is relief that I can explore, unencumbered, the years that lie ahead. My children will stay the constant thread, but the weave will be looser, less entangled. There will be another shift in our relationship and it will be bittersweet. They will come back for weekends, holidays, summers, and we will laugh and love and share stories from our lives apart. But, while they are gone, Sunday mornings will be my moment to miss them. I will lie in bed a few minutes longer with my eyes closed and find one Sunday morning memory. I will swim in it, smile, be grateful and then I will get up and open the shades.

 

Thank you for allowing me to speak my truth. Feel free to comment below. It’s more fun with you in the mix.

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25 Comments Filed Under: The Nourished Self

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. stephanie finn says

    July 31, 2014 at 6:21 pm

    Hi Michele, your words are beautiful as you are and just what I needed today.

    Love,
    Stephanie Finn

    Reply
    • michelle says

      July 31, 2014 at 11:32 pm

      Thank you, Stephanie. I’m so pleased it spoke to you. Miss you and sending love <3

      Reply
  2. Gwen says

    August 1, 2014 at 1:29 am

    You write beautifully Michelle…so thoughtful and tender. Your choice of words is perfect!! Amazing!

    Reply
    • michelle says

      August 1, 2014 at 9:05 pm

      Aw, thanks, Gwen. That means a lot. xo

      Reply
  3. Laurie says

    August 1, 2014 at 3:44 am

    Beautiful, Michelle! I felt every bit of it. Thank you!

    Reply
    • michelle says

      August 1, 2014 at 9:04 pm

      Thank YOU, Laurie! I’m so glad you felt a connection to it.

      Reply
  4. Kate Bradbury Souza says

    August 1, 2014 at 4:20 am

    Beautifully said, Michelle.

    Reply
    • michelle says

      August 1, 2014 at 9:04 pm

      I know, as a mom, you can relate. Thank you, Kate.

      Reply
  5. Evan says

    August 1, 2014 at 5:01 am

    Very well written. I especially like the doughy baby fingers part. Hope all is well. Looks like the nest is emptying. 2 kids in college that’s cool.

    Reply
    • michelle says

      August 1, 2014 at 8:54 pm

      Thanks, Ev! Sending love and hugs to you and your girls!

      Reply
  6. Saundra says

    August 1, 2014 at 5:07 am

    Michelle….. Your words are absolutely beautiful!! So touching, so heartfelt, so real… You are an amazing woman, mother, daughter, friend and an inspiration to all! I can relate and just want you to know that the journey is just beginning. Having the bond you have with Marc and Melissa will only strengthen and grow deeper. Love you so much and love your words. Thank you for sharing ❤️❤️

    Reply
    • michelle says

      August 1, 2014 at 8:53 pm

      Thank you so much, gorgeous, sweet Saundra! I love YOU so much!

      Reply
  7. Randy Allard says

    August 1, 2014 at 10:05 am

    Beautifully expressed

    Reply
    • michelle says

      August 1, 2014 at 8:50 pm

      Thanks, Randy. Love you. xo

      Reply
  8. Marissa says

    August 1, 2014 at 7:57 pm

    Just beautiful, Michelle. Thanks for sharing. This part especially touched me: “They will never need me in the same way, but I have a deep knowing that, no matter what lies ahead, their lives began in my arms and every layer since was built on the foundation of that love.” Good for me to remember your words during the joys and challenges of raising three girls!

    Reply
    • michelle says

      August 1, 2014 at 8:48 pm

      I’m so pleased you found a piece of it to carry with you. Thank you, Marissa, for taking the time to let me know how it made you feel xo

      Reply
  9. Matthew says

    August 1, 2014 at 10:44 pm

    Beautiful, thought-provoking and well written Michelle! I enjoyed your evocative descriptions. I know that it takes a lot of guts to put your feelings out there! I look forward to more posts soon…

    Reply
  10. Ruth Jolley says

    August 3, 2014 at 5:07 pm

    What a gift on this Cloudy Sunday morning and what a heartfelt message that so many of us can relate to as we have children of our own branching out and leaving the next…keep writing you have a true talent in expressing yourself.

    Reply
  11. Isabel says

    August 10, 2014 at 11:52 pm

    Michelle that was so beautifully written, very touching and descriptive. xox

    Reply
  12. Debbie says

    August 11, 2014 at 10:58 pm

    Miche, you brought more than a tear to my eye. Beautifully described.

    Reply
  13. Melissa Price says

    August 12, 2014 at 12:41 pm

    Beautifully said. I often think of when the girls will be at this stage if the game. You are a wonderful mother and have given them the most important thing in life: love. Hope to follow in your footsteps and continue to create connection with my girls….love and blessings this fall. And- come visit AZ!

    Reply
  14. Ashley says

    August 12, 2014 at 10:10 pm

    Beautiful words spoken by a beautiful mother. You are a gift to them and this world with your love and writing xo!

    Reply
  15. michelle e says

    August 19, 2014 at 12:28 am

    Beautiful mama and beautiful soul!

    Reply
  16. Katie Kash says

    August 24, 2014 at 12:23 pm

    There are no words, just love across time and space. <3

    Reply
  17. Ashley says

    September 9, 2014 at 5:39 pm

    Mich, I absolutely loved reading this…it was so touching. I am really looking forward to reading your future blog posts. I’m so proud of you my beautiful cousin…I know things haven’t always been easy for you, but look at you now! I’m really glad to see how fulfilled you are in your life. You’re an inspiring woman. Lots of love. Xxx

    Reply

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