Miscellany: Empty nest is a myth
I'm beginning to think that whole "empty nest" talk is just a fallacy. When Daughter #1, Jamie, left for college I thought she was gone. She came back for the summer, got an apartment in the fall, and went back to school. Again, I thought she was gone for good. When the school year ended in May, we found ourselves moving her back home again, but just for a few weeks.
She got married June 11 and she and her new husband live in an apartment here in Marion. As we left that morning for the church, I tearfully told myself, "This time she's really gone for good."
About a week ago we cleaned the extra bedroom, boxed up the odds and ends she had left behind, and closed the door on that chapter of our lives — we thought.
This past Saturday we drove Daughter #2, Jessica, to the airport for a week-long stay in Washington, D.C. I was telling myself, "Now, we'll see what that 'empty nest' thing is all about."
Now I know
So, she moved back in — temporarily.
I'm thoroughly convinced there's no such thing as an empty nest. At least in our case, the girls must think we're not capable of being on our own. Maybe they think we already are approaching senility. So, they have a diabolical plan to make sure we're never alone. If one leaves, the other will return. They'll take care of us in shifts, until we're old enough to move to the nursing home where we'll become someone else's responsibility.
In all seriousness, I'm thrilled to have Jamie and Michael living in Marion. Jess has one more year of high school so for the time being she'll be responsible for making sure we don't wander off in traffic or burn down the house. When she goes off to college next fall, the responsibility again will fall on Jamie to make sure the "old folks" keep a well-stocked fridge, air-conditioning in the summer, heat in the winter, and gas in the car in case we feel the need to take her out to dinner.
— DONNA BERNHARDT
