When I drove my eldest daughter to university at the far side of England it was a strange time - exciting and happy on the way there, filled with uncontrollable tears (mine of course) on the way back. My son was already living away from home at college and I was divorced and faced with the prospect of an empty house and frightened. I loved it!!!! I had a year of peace, perfect peace, a house that stayed tidy, hardly any washing, cooking, shopping. I pleased myself. It was bliss. I met up with friends for evenings out, did some courses, walked a lot wherever I wanted to with no time constraints on having to be back for anyone at any particular time. I went to stay with my daughter and had a great time and, of course, she was home in the holidays - pleased to see me and full of plans to go out together, which we did. My son was only in the next town and he hadn't yet gone all "eco-warrior-ish" and we had lots of fun nights out watching bands like two teenagers.
Then I met the man who became my second husband, who was a single father to a baby, and my life changed again. I love my life now, it was meant to be, but I still look back on that year of an empty nest with gratitude for the positive experience of peace and a chance to really get to know myself.
Embrace this time MWM. It's not the end of your life with your son, it's just a normal, natural change and it will bring so many positive things to your life and to the life of your son and to your joint lives together.
Start smiling!
