Friday, August 22, 2014

Empty Nests

On today's walk I found some branches and leaves scattered on the ground after last night's rainstorm.  And on the rough gray sidewalk an empty bird's nest caught my eye.  It was only later I saw the connection:  after several lovely visits and stays from grown children throughout the spring and summer, the house is now quite empty, our cat commandeering the guest room bed as her personal divan, and fall is fast approaching.

I'm pretty sure birds are unsentimental about their nests once the chicks have flown (as I'm fervently hoping was the case for this nest).  Humans are a bit more complicated: proud of the courageous and independent flying they observe, and yet a little melancholy all the same.

It's small compensation to know we're now free to indulge in various 60-something eccentricities:  strolling down the hallway stark naked after a shower, cooking new recipes that bubble ominously on the stove and later sliding inedible experiments unceremoniously from plate to compost bucket, having long heart-to-heart conversations with the cat about appropriate timing between treats and what effort ought to be made to earn those treats, mildly cursing the iPad when a Scrabble opponent plays an obscure word, having a tad too lengthy a couples conversation about various bodily emissions, reading for hours while eating popcorn, gelato or cheese, watching movies inappropriate for our age, attempting to learn one-footed Yoga positions from a DVD and teetering over, and other activities left to the reader's imagination.

The fledglings' imaginations will fill in the blanks deliciously; or more likely we will rarely cross their minds.  If all else fails we'll serve as horrible examples.  Is the image of an empty nest sad?  It represents those happy fledglings taking flight to go build their own nests. Mother birds have no choice but to rejoice, and breathe in the freedom.  Care for another Cheezit?

2 comments:

Jim L said...

We're getting there. Meghann has been long gone, of course, raising and homeschooling four kids with a grace and insight I wonder at, because I know it came from neither of her parents.

Morgann, our boomerang child, is finally working again, almost full time, and has been for some months. We're hoping for a successful "launch" soon.

Erin just went off for her freshman year at Southeast Missouri University. That was a hard one on Les (and Erin). It's three and a half hours away.

And the twins have started their sophomore year in high school.

Three more years.

I think I can. I think I can.

It's not that I am not sentimental. It is just that I am really, really ready for some Les-and-me time (and some just-me time).

Lynn said...

We've actually had an empty nest for some time, but we had a short boomerang when my son encountered housemate issues earlier this year. I really enjoyed his stay in our house over the past few months, as well as various visits from my daughter, but all things must pass and both of them have flown back to their independent lives again, as it should be..