Leaving the nest.

I am sitting on a plane heading home from teaching a class, and thoughts go through my head about how I am going to respond on Wednesday when my son is sworn into the Navy, and leaves for boot camp. Mom’s and their sons. This is the first time he will be away from me since birth. I know all the sensible things, this is so good for him and his future, I am so proud of him, he will come out of this better on so many levels. It doesn’t make it any easier to say good bye.

This is part of the circle of life, we know our children will leave, shoot, if we were to be honest, there were moments when they were growing up we were like, Hmmm, when do they go on their own. LOL. When that day comes, there is an empty feeling that comes over you. For the past 20 years I have been living with them in mind. Everything I do, every move I make, every grocery I buy, everything has been centered around my amazing sons.

What do we do with the empty nest? I seriously never thought I would feel this way, or say empty nest, but it is. I understand what it means now. Well, almost, there is still one in the nest yet 😊 and I am grateful for that. I can’t even think about that day, when he leaves. So, what goals do we set? How do we take care of that space we now have?  What do we do for ourselves? Some would say, Cassie, you are already so busy! Yes, I do keep myself busy that way, but what they don’t know is, Cameron and I have coffee every morning, he is the one I call when I need something done, he is the one that comes and sits on my bed and just hangs with me while I am doing my makeup. The little things, which are really very big things.

I trust God will guide him, watch over him and he will feel my love, always. I will now settle into creating more memories with my last one in the nest daily. Focus on the now, and not when it is his turn to fly. I will watch Cameron from afar continue to grow as the incredible young man he is and say prayers of gratitude for the life I have been given with these young men. Many blessings and love to the moms out there nudging their birds out of the nest, yet wanting to grab a feather when the time comes for them to fly. We know there is peace in release. Fly my son, the nest will always be here.

Until nest time, much love …