Some boomers are past the empty nest syndrome by many years, yet others may be in the midst of it right now.
Whichever you can relate to, there are probably moments when nostalgia and sadness creep in, leaving you feeling at a loss.
This happened to me recently. My husband, Rob and I, took a trip to a state park we used to go to when the kids were young.
As a family, we would hike, bike, picnic and enjoy the beautiful surroundings, as it was a haven for many birds and mammals. While Rob and I had a great time taking pictures and biking through the lush hammock, we couldn’t help but remember what we did with the kids so many years ago.
“Look, there’s the tree the kids climbed and the stones they walked across in the pond.” “Remember when we saw the hawk swoop down and catch a snake?” “Do you see their names carved into the wooden bench?” “Can you find the vine they used to swing from?”
There are so many wonderful memories over the years that we try to recapture, but of course we can’t relive them. That’s when I decided to appreciate the new memories we’d be making right now.
As we walked the boardwalk in the Fern Garden, Rob and I held hands and pointed out the special features of nature. “Look at the snake on the vine over there.” “Is that a wild boar or raccoon rustling in the swamp?”
The kids are grown and making their way on their own. But we have these precious new memories to share with them as we move ahead in our lives. While we still have bouts of sadness and nostalgia, there are many more moments of gratefulness and excitement that we can enjoy together as a couple. After all, we, like them, are beginning a new chapter in our lives and we want it to be as wonderful as the first chapter.
I feel very lucky. Some boomers have a hard time sharing or bonding with their partners because they have grown apart, since their children “flew the coop.” If that’s your scenario, you can still connect by remembering those early years when parenting was the forefront of your lives. Perhaps that would give you the incentive to find some area you can share together now, so that you continue your journey into the future with hope, satisfaction and true contentment.
Read more posts by Amy Sherman here. Amy blogs for JenningsWire.
