What I Miss the Most

When I first created this blog, my intention was to update almost every day.  As you know, that hasn't happened.  Like everyone, I get busy and intentions fly out the window.  But today I'm really on a roll!  I want to catch up with some topics I've jotted down over the past several weeks.

I've written a couple of times about what I appreciate about small town living.  But there are some things I really miss about living in the Twin Cities.  I lived there for 55+ years before moving to Alma.  Here's my list to date, in no particular order:
convenient dry cleaning services
nearby movie theatre (or even red box!)  Yes, I will check out Netflix!
a variety of restaurants

But, BY FAR, the things I miss most are not things.  I miss the people I know and love.  My friends, some of whom I saw very often, some only once in a while.  My extended family--aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces, nephews.  My family of origin members--my sister, Robin, and brother, Scott, both live in the area.  My mother and older sister live in Florida and have for years, so I'm used to a long-distance relationship with them.  But leaving everyone behind, even though I'm only two hours away, has been difficult.

The most difficult of all has been creating a new life away from my two grown children, Jackie and Tony.  They are doing fine, creating their own new lives.  But I miss them.  Greatly and profoundly.  Heartbreakingly.

You know it's expected that at some point your children will want to leave the home nest.  That's the natural order of things.  The thing is, I was the one who left the nest.  NOT the natural order of things.  And it's been difficult for all of us.  Even though we sometimes used to drive each other crazy.  Even though our behavior wasn't always the best.  I miss the day-to-day knowing what they were each doing, where they were going, who they were with.  They are 21 and 19 now, certainly old enough to navigate the world.  We have good relationships with each other.  And that's good.  I hope we will always keep in touch in important ways.  I hope we always have good relationships.  Alas, I miss them...