Life's About Changes

There's a country song, How Can I Help You Say Goodbye,by Patty Loveless that says, "Life's about changing, nothing ever stays the same". I'm all in favor of keeping life fresh, but often, the changes leave me melancholy. This past week I left my daughter at the airport so she could return to her sophomore year of college in New York - a long way from home. My sweet Mike is about to have a similar experience this week. He's taking a road trip with his son who he will then leave behind for his freshman year of college. In fact, they're driving as I write this post.

These changes are bittersweet for both Mike and me. As I've mentioned before, we live in two worlds - one with our friends and children in different cities and the one we share with each other. The passage of time is our path to finally being together and yet, it is that same ticking clock that separates us from our children and the lives we have so comfortably lived these many years. I'm ready to make the exchange, to spend the rest of my life with Mike, but I can't help missing my "babies". We will both experience a period of the empty-nest before we can make the final transition to a life with each other. The one thing I am certain of, is that is one more of life's challenges that we will face together, supporting each other and strengthening our bond.