Empty House

The nest may not be empty but the house certainly is. Claire moved into George Mason housing yesterday, Suzanne is well settled at Wooster and Celia spent the night at a friend's. Am I only imagining it or does the place just feel emptier, the air thinner?

Being a parent means letting go — that's something you learn from the very beginning. But that doesn't make it any easier. Twice this weekend while walking I stopped to talk with friends about their children going off to college or grad school. Raising kids is what the suburbs are about. Which raises the question: What happens when the children grow up and move away?