Homecoming

What does a mother feel when her babies have flown the nest? Vacuum? An emptiness that nothing and no one else can fill ? I've seen friends shed tears, visit the kids more often than needed, and in some extreme cases , go into depression. In other words, they just can't let go.

But this post is not about kids leaving  It's about them coming home. Going back to what it felt like when the second and last of my two girls left .Yes, there was a definite emptiness. Yes, I missed her. And yes, I worried for her.

But then as she settled into her routine out there in Mumbai, I relaxed, and  looked around at the positives.Wow ! I had an extra room in the house! An extra cupboard to offload my own overflowing one! And just so much more time on hands ! You know what I mean? Enough time and space to spread out and indulge in hobbies and activities. And I did just that - all the time pushing that "missing you" thing into a remote corner of my heart.  Life settled into a new "only us" routine. And like air occupies empty space, "stuff" began to spread into the empty shelves.

Then came the news. My little one is coming back ! Transferred back to Delhi. I am ecstatic! Crazy! I dance around the house celebrating her home coming, till I enter her room and ...... freeze. OMG!!!! Every shelf , every corner of the room is occupied by things  that definitely do not belong to her. Linen, footwear, books, painting easel. The bed has become, more often than not , a dumping area.

I am all shaken up...... I've  got to create space for her - figuratively and literally. How in the world do I clean up?

So now I have a new challenge on hand - Rid The House Of Clutter. I am crazily stuffing clothes back into my own cupboard. What does not fit in, goes out ! What cannot be thrown out will beg for a few inches of space in her shelves. Hopefully, in a weeks time , by the time she is here, her room would be restored to its original looks.

Welcome home, Shreya !