Thank you for your emotional response! It means so much to me to know my words resonated. And yes, bittersweet it is. I have a mantra I say to myself many times a day along the lines of: I gave my kids roots and wings. When we have kids and they’re young it’s all about keeping them close to us and trying to carve out a few minutes in which we get to catch our breath alone. Then they leave and we ask, what was this all for? I raised my kids just to watch them leave?? I miss my kids terribly but I also remind myself I raised them to thrive, not to stay next to me. Wings. Trust me, the relationship evolves with the distance but it grows stronger at the same time. It becomes the new normal, and there’s great comfort in watching from afar as your kids start navigating the world on their own. I wish you great strength in the process.