by KawikaChann

Created on: June 11, 2009   Last Updated: June 12, 2009

Well, when our youngest left the nest, it came as kind of a surprise. My wife and I had never really planned on anything solid after all the kids were out of the house, we just kind of wished that it would happen sooner - especially when we were having problems with the older kids. All of a sudden, we were alone together, with no other distractions than those we caused. Our lives changed dramatically because we were able to make changes accordingly to what we wanted to do. Shopping changed drastically, and the kinds of food that we put into the house changed - more bran, whole grain, less salt, etc.

We were still parenting, though not as often, and over a distance... distance-parenting it should be called. Although our kids were no longer at home, we called on them, had them in our prayers, and still counseled them. It was always important for my wife to keep in touch with them, she always had a sense of things if something was wrong. They would always confide in her, because it's easier for the kids to talk to their mother. As for me, I was always a man of few words. I would call them every now and again, just to let them know that I was thinking of them, and that I loved them very much. If there were any problems that they were facing, or needed advice in a new situation, I was always available to them.

Now, our home is very quiet, and though we miss our kids, we are more dependent on each other for entertainment. Our love deepens, we find more in each other to be fond of. We rediscover things about each other that we didn't have the time or privacy to explore before. We fall into a deeper love, and gain a finer understanding of what it means to love, and be loved. I never would have anticipated love having so many different patterns, avenues to grow into, changes and the speed in which it envelops and saturates. It was a love of gratitude I think - maybe more a love of thankfulness, of appreciation, of all things that we do for each other. It was like a new puppy love, but with more mature minds. An unfounded borderless expedition, uncharted levels of love that would need to be explored.

Sometimes when we are together, sitting near each other, touching, always touching, the phone would ring and it would be one of the kids; we would view it as an intrusion followed immediately by guilt for not being more receptive to our kids calling us. But it was because we were being selfish, we no longer wanted to share each other with anyone else - even our own kids. I mean, we love our kids and our precious grandchildren, but we also treasure every moment that we have with each other. And at a time when we find so many of our friends dying off, we aim to spend as much time with each other as possible. We eat healthier, we exercise more, because we don't want to leave the other holding the bag. We do all we can, to ensure that we will be together for a long time. Our love has more plains to discover, more peaks and valleys to traverse, more rivers and oceans to cross, and as long as we're together, we'll be touching - a hand, a foot, an arm or a shoulder, whatever it may be, but we'll be touching.

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