Empty Nest

When Aditi got admission in a prestigious University in the US of A, we were delighted for her. The fact that she had also been awarded a partial scholarship made us proud parents indeed. The next few months were a flurry of activity: shopping, fee transfers, visas, documentation, packing and finally D day! At 23 Aditi was pretty confident of flying out alone and did not want us accompanying her….

Rakshit and I stood at the airport, waving her goodbye. We were glad for her, even though we held back tears and faked laughter and joy

As we slowly walked towards the car and drove home, reality began to sink in.

We returned to an empty nest! Aditi was our only child. She had made our house a home. And now she was gone. Rakshit muttered “ I don’t know how she’s going to manage!” and I thought to myself, “ neither do I know how I’m going to manage!”

Parenting was a lot of excitement and joy initially. It was exhausting later. It meant hard work and we worked harder to give our little girl all we could. It was exasperating as one parented a teenager. At every curve a new reality strikes! Rakshit and I now embraced the glaring reality that our little bird had grown wings and taken flight.

It was at that time that it struck me that parenting is terminal. It does come to an end eventually. Or at least it ideally should. I knew our little girl was going away, and months before had cried silent tears at night, hugged her often, gave her all the advice I could think of. I didn’t want to make the transition for her harder than what it was going to be. I was also trying to come to terms with the fact that my parenting (or mothering ) Aditi was going to come to an end.

Once she settled down in her new surroundings, and her happy mails poured in frequently, her excited voice on the phone brimming with happiness and her ceaseless chatter about all her new friends, things became easier for us. We knew she was happy, and that is what mattered.

Yes, we are living in an empty nest, but not without hope….we look forward to her visits now!
- Suniti Chatterjee

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