For those of you who don't know the film, you might expect it is a version of the King Arthur / Camelot story. And it is. So, if you know anything about the Arthur lore, you might know this -- the wizard Merlin was said to live life backwards. As Arthur explains to Guenevere in the musical version, Camelot, Merlin "doesn't age; he ... 'youthens?'"
In any case, when Merlin sees the completion of something, he knows it is complete, because he has seen the future. In any case, Merlin's line is simple. He sees something complete and he says:
"That's it."
This phrase ran through my head several times over the past weekend. Sherry and I accompanied Leah out to New York City to help her move into her first apartment in Manhattan. She's been officially graduated for several months now, and she moved into Sarah and Troy's place in Brooklyn Park. But the address she gave most people for her "permanent address" was our house, and we all knew this day was coming: she would leave Minnesota to start her life in New York.
Of course, each of our children has done something similar. Yes, the boys are still in Rochester, but they are on their own in their own places. And, true, Sarah is not that far away, but she has a very busy life in her own house, too. They have moved on. And now, finally, Leah has done the same.
Our house, which despite its generous size, sometimes seemed to overflow when our family of six was younger, is now a truly empty nest. We are "empty nesters." As Merline would say: "That's it."
As I flow down this river of life, it becomes easier and easier to see why people look back on the past so much more as they get older. There are so many good memories!
So, as we enjoy the empty nest, and relish the times when our grown children can visit us, I will definitely always remember the earlier times, the younger times, when the nest was full and bustling and none of our kids had yet learned to use their wings.
Kids, I am so proud of each of you! Keep living your wonderful lives. Just know you are welcome to come home now and again so we can get some of that energy and life back into the nest for a little bit. The house misses you!
And we do, too.
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(I wonder what a 4000+ square foot 'house' would cost in Manhattan.)
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