A new phase in life. The kids are now out of the house. An empty-nester! How did that happen so fast?
As I sit in the silence of my “now it’s too big house” (boy the house IS quiet!) I reflect on where I am in life. Is this where I pictured myself? In my career? In my family life? Am I happy? What have I accomplished? If I died tomorrow, do I have a legacy? Am I having a motherhood mid-life crisis?
It appears that I am not alone. As I spend time speaking with my friends and colleagues at a similar stage of life, it appears this feeling is relatively universal for my generation of women.
Our mothers married with the expectation of staying at home and raising the children. Our generation was the first one to aspire to “Have It All”… a career AND a family! But although the young girls of my generation grew up with a different mindset than our mothers, did the culture follow? Were we able to balance it all? Kids, our home, our career, family? Are there enough hours in the day…ever?
The Coronavirus has shaken our equilibrium. Many of us are doing an about-face and re-examining our circumstances, our relationships, our ultimate search for meaning.
One of my favorite quotes is “The Purpose of Life is a Life of Purpose.”
What is my purpose now that my kids are gone? What is yours?