Article October 27, 2008 Issue

FILLING THE EMPTY NEST WITH JOY

BY STEPHANIE JOHNSON

This article originally appeared on spirituality.com

My husband and I huddled over the computer screen. We'd just received our first Instant Message (or IM, as it is commonly known) from our son. He'd begun his freshman year at college, and we were so excited to be able to use this real-time computer conversation to connect with him. We'd kept the IM line open all evening in the hope that we'd hear from him.

After a few back and forth messages, my husband pointed out that we really shouldn't be too quick to respond. Our son might think we were too eager and didn't have anything else going on in our lives. So we sat there and watched the clock until two minutes had passed. Only then did we feel we could reply, and at least give the appearance of nonchalance. Sounds pretty pathetic doesn't it? Well, it felt pathetic!

Whether your child is off to college for the first time, taking that first bus ride to elementary school, or simply going back to school after a leisurely summer, those left behind can be left with an empty feeling.