This week I have officially become an empty-nester. Yesterday the removalist came to take my baby’s furniture to Melbourne. Last year was a trial run for this and I think the transition this time will be slightly easier as I now have some experience of living alone. Until last January I had never done that, as I went from my parents’ home to marriage then children. It took a while to work out how to fill the gaps last year but I am sure that now I have experienced it once I will move more smoothly into the state of aloneness this time. Though, of course, I will miss Sian deeply as I have missed each of my children as they left home embarked on their independent adult life. I can confidently say that I have done my job. I provided the ingredients to help my children develop into the fine adults they are now. I nurtured them throughout their growth and now they are making their own way in the world, making their own marks and hopefully creating their own legacy. I look at them with pride and see the successes they are making in their lives.

Sarah, my eldest child, has a great career as an educator and has a stable marriage and two beautiful children. The first to marry, the first to permanently leave home, her journey thus far has been one of moving from strength to strength. I am sure that she will instill in her children the same strength of character that she shows.

Brian, the elder of my sons, has achieved much since he left school. He has had steady employment in a stable public service job for over 10 years. He has a beautiful wife and is an accomplished musician. He is thoughtful and introspective and I am proud to call him my son.

John, for a long time the baby of the family, has also gone from strength to strength in his life. He is efficient and intelligent and his opinions are respected in the international education arena. This is a source of pride to me as this is my area of employment as well. He has a good job, a beautiful wife and a gorgeous son who will, I hope, someday make his own positive mark on the world.

John and Brian are also attracting a good following on their DCUO podcasts. It is great to see that their opinions are respected by the people who share their interests.

Sian is proving to be the most adventurous in terms of where she is in her life at the moment. She has pulled up her roots and re-located to another state, much further away than her older siblings moved when they first left home. She is a strong and independent university student who is just starting on the adventure of creating a career path and is taking the first determined steps towards complete independence. Her journey is just beginning but I know that she takes with her the values I have taught her and that she will find happiness and success in her life, no matter what path she takes. T

hroughout their lives I contributed the ingredients, I mixed and kneaded them to give them strength, flavour and substance. But the baking is done now! My success can be measured in the final product. Four strong, independent people who are forging their path and making their mark on the world. So I feel I can safely say ‘Well done, Sharon! you did well!’