The Empty Nest Syndrom

We All Go Through It

   All parents that is! The Lord blessed Jill and I with three beautiful daughters. You remember the TV program, My Three Sons?" Well, we were blessed with, "Our Three Daughters." We went through the stages of raising children that all parents go through. You remember those stages; the troublesome twos, the frustrating threes and on and on and on! Having girls we also went through the boyfriends calling and I told our girls that I wanted to meet everyone of them and I did! I had each of our girls come to me while in school saying; "daaaad." I would say; "Stop right there and tell me how much you want." They always promised to pay me back and I will be a rich man when they do. I remember when our oldest daughter went to university. We dropped her off on campus and after saying good-bye we proceeded to return home. Jill protested saying; "We can't leave her there." I consoled her  with words like; "Honey, we have to we've already paid the tuition." Actually I'm just kidding because silently I shed tears as well. Shortly thereafter it was time for our second daughter and our third daughter to leave for university as well and the parting was just as tough. The house was really quiet when they left but there were lots of phone calls home and of course weekend visits.
   University days passed by rather quickly and it was shortly thereafter that I became suspicious of certain guys they were keeping company with. I asked the regular fatherly questions like; "How long is his hair?" "Does he wear ear rings?" "Any tattoos?" "Does he go to church?" I mean I was concerned! Well, the day came when the first daughter said that her boyfriend was going to speak to me about asking for her hand in marriage. YES, each of my son-in-laws actually spoke with me about marrying one of my daughters isn't that great? Now, when I knew that they were going to come and speak with me I asked each of my daughters in turn the same question, "is he nervous?" My daughters replied "yes, please be very gentle." I told each of them in turn; "Don't say anything to him that would lessen his fears I want him to be nervous." In one way I was just joking but in another way I was deadly serious. You see, my daughters (next to my wife) are thee most important people in the world to me. Here was some guy who was going to step into my life and become to her the most important man in her life. It wasn't that I feared loosing their love because I was always assured of their love it was well, "you know this other man." I don't think that I gave any of them a hard time and I am so pleased to hear them calling me, "dad."
   Actually, as I write this only two of them refer to me as dad. Why is this? Well it's due to the fact that our third daughter will not be married until Friday of this coming week! The day after tomorrow Jill and I are leaving for Vancouver where the wedding is to take place on the 9th of January. I was blessed to be able to conduct the weddings of our first two daughters and this Friday I will again have the opportunity of conducting the wedding service for our youngest daughter. In retirement Jill and I will be able to visit our oldest daughter just outside of Chatham Ontario, then there is the middle daughter who lives in Berkeley California and our youngest, well we will have to travel to a place called Rose Prairie in northern BC to visit her.
  The house is truly empty now. This past Christmas Jill and I celebrated by ourselves. BUT, the good Lord willing next Christmas the whole family will be coming to spend Christmas with Jill and I in our new home in Florida! The grand kids are coming as well (all five of them and maybe another one or two)! So you see the house will not be empty for long! This Christmas there was Jill and I around the table next Christmas the way I see it we should have eight adults and five children at least!
I am so proud of each of my daughters and Jill and I consider ourelves to be truly blessed.

Your Friend,
Rev. John