You know that feeling when you’ve just had the most delicious slice of your grandma’s chocolate fudge cake and you really want to have another piece but you don’t think you should because, well, gluttony is the first deadly sin?
To me, that’s what an empty nest feels like. My years as an active mom were rich and delicious. I loved them all –
- bedtime stories I read with little people tucked in around me, and the carefully enunciated words they read back to me;
- the weekday morning frenzy of lost library books and mismatched socks “Can you sign this permission slip?” “I need milk money” “You are not wearing that that thing to school!” and the neighborhood kids who stood in our front hallway every morning, waiting to walk to school and enjoying the show;
- choir concerts that made me cry;
- sweetly awkward Homecoming corsage exchanges;
- Friday night football games;
- Saturday morning pancakes.
When the last of my four children headed off to college, I wondered how I’d fill my days. I thought I’d rattle around empty rooms all sad and lonely.
But, I’m not.
Turns out, the next slice of life tastes just as good. In fact, I sometimes feel a little guilty that I’m having so much fun.
On this side of the hill, you realize the gift of moments and the finiteness of life. So, you seize your days and celebrate with laughter, with kitchen dances and shower songs.You raise a glass to sunsets and explore forks in the road. You stretch yourself toward a finish line you hope is far away. Just in case, though, you love a little more freely, think a little harder, brave kindness whenever your can and try your best to leave a big, beautiful planet even better than you found it.
That’s the goal here.
Life’s a pretty tasty apple pie here in my little corner of the world. Let’s all have Another Slice.
P.S. Just a note that the new url is https://anotherslice.life and I hope to see you all back here again. In fact, bring a friend or two and we’ll have a party.
Many thanks to Ethan Cook at http://www.halfacrehouse,com for the design work on the new blog and for the slick logos.
Welcome back! Reading your blog is a highlight in my world Laura! Thanks!
This comment is a highlight of my day. Thanks Barb!
I feel as you do. Sometimes, as a mother, we might not even get a first slice because the pie is all gone by the time we could sit down and enjoy it. With kids off into the world, the only reason now if I don’t get another slice is because I just joined Weight Watchers. Love your writing! Love the guy who helped you put this together….Way to go Laura!
That’s true about the slices being gone by the time we sat down. It’s nice to be able to savor the bites rather than the gobble and go meals we woofed down.
Love this new start, Laura (the name, the logo, the perspective). Looking forward to more. Congratulations and good luck!
I really missed you! Remember that vicarious thing I tell you every time I see you?
Thank you!
Finally! What took so long??????? Geeezzzzz!!! Awesome having you back, but the pictures of apple pie and chocolate cake at 9am is a little more than a stomach can just look at. Should I or shouldn’t I. Well it is the season to be JOLLY!!!!
You know Christmas season calories don’t count, Bob! Ho ho ho. Great to hear from you!
Laura, congrats on your new blog and adventures in empty-nesting. We have a favorite painting by Dee Morgan that reads ” Let us guide our children with wisdom. Let us listen to their problems and help them find solutions. Let us give them unconditional love no matter what. And when they are grown, let us find the courage to let go”. We find ourselves in the same predicament, and making our way through each day….continuing to enjoy the journey. I look forward to following your journey and gaining some insight and perspective.
That quote is perfect. Thank you!
I’m so glad to have been introduced to your blog. You capture the joys of this time of life so well.
One suggestion might be to please make the size of font for both the captions under illustrations and the comments a bit larger. “On this side of the hill” our eyes aren’t always up to deciphering tiny print!
Thanks for the suggestion! I’ll see what I can do. You’re right about our old poor, old eyes (though I do appreciate the blurriness when I look in the mirror!)
I’ll look into upping the caption font.
Thanks for reading the blog!