you know sometimes you just look at your hands and they’re empty like you’ve been holding something precious for so long and then one day it just isnt there anymore and you cant even remember what it felt like to have it in your grip just the memory of the weight and the warmth and then its gone you know that feeling like a ghost limb that still twitches when the weather changes it’s like that my youngest packed up last month and it was just a regular Tuesday you know one of those days where the sun is too bright and the air feels thin and they were so excited so full of plans and ideas and I just watched them go and smiled and waved and thought to myself this is it this is the end of an era this is the end of me really because what am I now without them around without all the hustle and bustle without the constant little things that needed doing the laundry the meals the late night talks the homework help it was like a symphony that just suddenly stopped and all that’s left is this ringing in my ears and the quiet the ABSOLUTE quiet I used to be so good at this homemaker thing it was my whole identity for like twenty years and now it feels like a job that just got eliminated you know they just said thanks for your service but we dont need you anymore and now my days just stretch out like an endless road and I dont know where it leads I dont know where I’m going or what I’m supposed to do with all this time all this ME that used to be for them for everyone else and now its just here just sitting in this house that suddenly feels too big and too silent and I feel like I did something wrong somewhere like I missed a step or forgot to sign up for something important you know and now I’m just stuck.