Now that both boys are back at school (finally!), I am back to being an empty nester.
In the words of Homer Simpson, …
H left two weeks ago, but O only went back this past weekend. If you ask me, a month is a bit too long—although it was nice to have some one-on-one time with just him after H left. The dynamic is very different when both boys are home.
As I said in my first Empty Nesting post back in October, I love my boys dearly, but I also love my alone time. I thrive in a quieter, more organized space—something that’s hard to come by when the house is full.
So now that everyone’s gone and I’m not tripping over piles of shoes in the doorway, climbing over mounds of clothes in the laundry room, or hunting for missing glasses and utensils, I’m focusing on decluttering and reorganizing my space—even if that means throwing out other people’s crap.
Mess gives me anxiety and purging brings me joy. I’m tossing everything that doesn’t serve me anymore—including other people’s burdens and expectations. 2025 is The Year of the Snake after all, and I’m here for the shedding.
Admittedly, I have a lot of my own issues, so I’m back in therapy to deal with the stuff that sending funny memes and sarcastic texts won’t solve. I’m going the virtual route this time, so we’ll see how it goes. For now, I’m keeping an open mind—and my sense of humor.
—LJDT
