Facing The Empty Nest....

For the last 21 years I have dedicated myself to being the best parent I can be. Becoming a parent at 17 wasn't something I had planned on doing, but it happened and once I made the decision that I could do it, I determined that I was going to be the very best parent I could be. Anyone who knows me knows that once I decide to do something I'm gonna do it and do it well, come hell or high water!

Now I find myself faced with the prospect that very soon, being a parent won't be my first concern in life. I know I'll always be a parent to my children, no matter how old they are, but in three years time it won't be a full time job anymore! In fact some days it seems like it is working into part time casual right now! With my second having left the nest last month and my baby in high school I find myself with increasing amounts of time on my hands. I find myself borrowing other people's kids to take to the beach because mine are too busy, tired,or cool to come with me! I guess it's a good thing I enjoy my own company! 

This is making me wonder, what shall I do as an empty nester? Most of my friends still have small kids, so I find I have few people to socialize with on my more frequent times alone. One of my friends who has kids the same age as mine just had another baby! She said she couldn't face being an empty nester yet, she'd go crazy she said, me, I'm willing to take that risk! 

Being an empty nester is something I have been fantasizing about for the last 10 years! Don't get me wrong, I love my kids and I miss them when they're not around, but I also realize, I am almost 40 years old and I have never been an adult without someone else depending on me. I have never had the opportunity to just put myself first, or decide what I want to do, based on just what I want to do. I find myself fantasizing about what I should do with my life when that fateful day comes? Maybe go to law school, or go out west and work for big money? Maybe go to Korea and teach English? Or get a job on a cruise ship and see the world... I guess I still have a few years to figure it out, but in the mean time, I'm open to suggestions!