I’ve always love the song “Circle Game” by Joni Mitchell. As an adolescent when this song first came out, I never truly appreciated the significance of the lyrics. But at this time in my life, they pulse with meaning.
I’ve noticed an interesting pattern through the years and I wonder if other women my age are seeing it as well. Our children leave home and go to college. They acquire degrees and find careers that make them happy. And life feels somewhat stagnant as a parent with an empty nest. We take a back seat to many of their adventures and accomplishments. We brag about them with our closest friends or a stranger in the market, showing pictures on our phones to whomever appears interested and feel blissful when they call home to say hi or I love you. After a life full of raising sons and taking a back seat to their health, education and well being, I am often at a loss for how to proceed.
