A new day brings us closer…. but to where?

It seems we are always in a hurry to get somewhere else in our lives without realizing where we are now.  Its hard not to do that, when we work so hard towards our goals we seem to want to rush time to get there.  But just exactly is it we are going and will we know when we get there?  It use to be I always knew what my next step was.  My kids would grow up, finish school, get married and have kids.  But those were their next steps not mine.  Little did I know I could not live my life waiting for their next steps since that left little room for mine.  So here I am working on my next steps and the first time in 26 years my next step does not directly involve my kids.  They are part of it but this time from the sidelines.  They are helping me get there as I helped them get to theirs.  And just as they moved on without me  I too shall move on without them this time.  Being a mom has defined my entire existence since my adulthood began.  I will always be a mom but a different kind of mom from now on.  I am no longer responsible for their day to day survival yet I feel like I should.  I am no longer responsible for their meals, showers, clothes, yet I still care about those things.  It is hard to let go even though we know we should.  Our goal as parents should be to raise happy independent adults – but as parents we like to be needed by our children.  It seems to validate us as parents, if we take care of our kids we have to be good parents right?  So now that my kids don’t really need me the same anymore how will I know if am a good parent?  When I find out I will certainly let you know.