Divorce and Back to School. Bittersweet. It’s that time of year again. Our kids go back to school and we go back to having a life. But that is bittersweet.
Remember that great Staples commercial with the Dad skipping down the aisles while his unhappy kids shop for school supplies? I do feel a wee bit exuberant. I got to drive down the street listening to NPR News instead of Katy Perry. I went to Coffee Bean not McDonald’s. No one asked me to get them a glass of water or make them a snack for an entire day. All wonderful things, but I’m also a little sad. It’s not just that I have to get up at the butt crack of dawn for school drop offs, I’m sad because I miss my daughter. I’m quickly running out of time with her. She’s twelve. There’s no more playing Barbies, no more bedtime stories. It’s closed bedroom doors and inside jokes with her best friend now. She’d rather play Minecraft than go out for our evening walks. I see her slipping away. I know this is exactly what’s supposed to be happening. Exactly what a healthy preteen is supposed to be doing, but still it smarts.
And because I’m separated, I get even less time with her. Days are shared, weeks plotted out on a calendar and divided. His time. My time. Divorce makes my limited time with her even more precious.
Maybe, in some strange way, divorce is a gift. A reminder that when I’m with her I need to really BE there. I need to enjoy these moments of her childhood racing past. I need to experience the sulking, the tears, the challenges, as much as I soak up those shiny, happy times. I can’t squander any of them. Thank you Divorce for reminding me to pay attention and enjoy the time she is with me, all of it.
Love this perspective !
So glad you like this post and perspective!