Leaving the Nest

I have written before about the nest of sparrow's eggs outside my front door...I'd like to revisit the nest theme again...

Five little blue eggs which hatched today. Now four tiny helpless little birds, with one more to go. I've been spying off and on all day.

Things are happening. In that nest and in mine. Lots of change, growth, shifting. It's all good. All natural, but it's sometimes painful change in my nest...I've only got four babies, long since beyond freshly 'hatched' and helpless, but I can relate to that mama bird...

Egg #1: She's almost 25, out of college for two years, working a dream job (albeit on the other side of the country!), and traveling. A lot. She just returned from a two-week trip to Kenya, on a photographic assignment for the non-profit she works for. That was the third of her international trips just since January. These trips are tough. They spend time interviewing people who are losing children to drought, disease and hunger. Somehow she has to capture the story so the story can be told, and therefore solutions can be paid for.

Egg #2: Oh my goodness. My baby boy asked his sweetie to marry him last night! I can hardly believe it. He's certainly ready, at 23, preparing for an engineering career, full of common sense and a fair amount of wisdom. He's got a great girl; she's amazing. Looks like this one is about to fly off to build his own family, and is in the process of preparing their nest.

Egg #3: Another boy turned man. He's 21, studying hard in college, living on his own and preparing for a military career. I still cry a little each time he leaves after a holiday or summer

break to go back. He's so strong. So thoughtful.

And then there's Egg #4: She's 18 as of a month ago, and fixin' to leave home for college in the fall. I can't think about it. I just find myself repeatedly putting it out of my mind, waiting for another day to think about it. But it's fast approaching...

The empty nest.

Ugh. I hate that expression. Empty. Sounds so lonely. So quiet. I know there will always be people around; my house has never been quiet for long. But this is such a significant year - all this change.

Maybe it should be called, the spacious nest. That way there's room for more. Room for those baby-birds-turned-adults to come home to their original nest, bring their friends and families, and enjoy some moments of refreshment and fun.

Even though they are either out of the nest or moving out soon, the comfort of the nest is always there. Our roles are changing, but there are times when Mom and Dad are needed as a listening ear and a comfort, even to healthy, well-adjusted adult children. We had the privilege of doing just that as our daughter returned to the US after her trip. We spent a few days together in New York, just talking, laughing, sleeping and eating. It was therapeutic for her, and such a blessing to us. These times are few and far between, but the bonds are tight and we cherish every moment we get. Part of our conversation was a frank discussion about how hard it is for us all to be apart. We didn't come to a conclusion per se, but the discussion is an open one, sometimes with understanding and sometimes with tears. I suppose similar conversations will happen with each of them.

Over the years, I've always put a welcome basket together for overnight guests with granola bars, fruit, a few bottles of water. When the kids were little, they always raided that basket upon the guests' departure. I look forward to the day when they will be my guests.

And this gives me some comfort as I look at the growing space inside my nest. Hang in there Mama Bird! Your babies will grow big and strong, able to fly on their own and build their own nests someday!