The Empty Nest

Our youngest child left home today to go to work as a teaching assistant in a graduate school in the Midwest while he works toward his Masters and PHD degrees in History. In the future he will probable not return home for any extended stay. Our daughter left the nest three summers ago. I was happy for him to go on his new adventure and proud for the man he has become. I was also sad to see him go. But that is the nature of life. I keep thinking of those Disney nature documentary's they used to show on TV when I was a kid where the baby birds would leave the nest for good or the mother bear would leave her cubs for the last time. This is the way of nature and it is the natural evolution of life. Nothing is as sad as seeing a healthy 27 year old child still living at home with his or her parents. We are already talking about where we will all meet for Christmas. Last year we spent Christmas at Disneyland. This Christmas, Home?, Las Vegas?, a cabin in the woods? or will we all follow the Ducks to a football Bowl Game? I will especially miss him going with me to Duck games in Eugene. Even while he was an undergrad at Willamette University in Salem he would meet me in Eugene for three or four games each season. We would have a nice lunch or dinner before or after the game and spend a few hours together. I will miss that. Take care "Big Guy."