Susan Senator

Went to two parties last night, and by the time I got into bed I realized I had talked about Nat’s move-out so many times, it felt like a more legitimate thing we had done. The first party was my favorite one of the year, in our old neighborhood, filled with people I’ve known for years. The woman who hosts it is the one whose porch I ran away to, way back when I almost left (because 7-year-old Nat’s sleep disturbances were more than I could bear). Susan talked me through it and told me a thing or two about her struggles as a mom, and shored me up so that I could go back home and live in my life.

So last night there were all these friends who had not heard that Nat was at the House and they truly got it. I got a lot of hugs, but also a lot of expressions of joy, because people were feeling that Nat was really on his way to a very rich adulthood. They were so proud that he was working two jobs, running road races, going off with friends, and transitioning back and forth, home-House-school, so smoothly.

They would not have those positive responses if I had not also been conveying positive energy, despite my creased forehead and wet eyes. It’s funny how like Nat sometimes going home is not at all about going to where you live.