Embracing the Empty Nest with Grace, Laughter, and Love
This week, I had the joy of speaking with Rita Lussier on my podcast - an honest, funny, and deeply touching conversation about something that resonates with so many of us: the empty nest.
Rita, a long-time columnist for The Providence Journal, has recently published her beautiful and soul-stirring book, And Now, Back to Me. It’s a title that says it all. After dedicating decades to nurturing others - her children, her marriage, her career - Rita found herself standing at a new beginning when her youngest child left home for New York City.
And suddenly, the house was quiet. Familiar routines faded. And like many of us, she was faced with the question: Who am I now?
We laughed together during our chat - because there is laughter in this part of the journey. The awkwardness of getting to know our partners again (“Do I even like you still?”), rediscovering how much joy we can share when the distractions of parenting fall away. And perhaps most tenderly, we explored the inner journey of rediscovering ourselves.
This isn’t just a “chapter two” - it’s an entire new book.
For nearly 40% of women in their late 50s, the experience of empty nest syndrome is more than just a transition - it’s an identity shift. So much of our sense of purpose, rhythm, and even self-worth has been tied up in being the anchor for our children. And when they grow their own wings (as they should), we’re left not empty - but open.
Open to rediscovery.
Open to reawakening.
Open to reinvention.
Rita shares so beautifully the hidden challenges we don’t talk about enough - the emotional waves of grief, pride, loneliness, and relief. The bittersweetness of watching our children flourish while we tend to the spaces they once filled. She speaks openly of the “sandwich” role many women now hold - supporting grown children from afar while stepping into care for aging parents. It’s a delicate dance of holding space for others while trying to carve out space for ourselves.
And that’s what makes And Now, Back to Me so special - it’s not just about nostalgia, but about possibility.
This time of life invites us to rekindle not only our relationships with those we love, but with ourselves. What brings us joy? What dreams were placed on pause? What passions are stirring again? Whether it’s reconnecting with creativity, investing in our physical health, tending to our emotional wellbeing, or simply learning how to be again - this is sacred ground.
We are not losing ourselves.
We are returning to ourselves.
If you’re reading this and feeling the pangs of that empty chair at the kitchen table, know this: you’re not alone. And you’re not done. You are stepping into a vibrant, vital season of life - one that holds laughter, new love, deep reflection, and unexpected freedom.
I encourage you to explore Rita’s book, And Now, Back to Me. It’s a heartfelt guide, a companion, and a mirror for the millions of women walking this path.
And as always, I am here - walking alongside you.
Sharon 💛