Where Roots Run Deep

Natchez. The peace of this place nurtures my soul.

Last month, Carley surprised me with a trip to my hometown where we stayed in a cottage on the grounds of Homewood Plantation. The home burned down in 1940 but the steps remain. Leading nowhere in particular, they are evidence of what once stood. If only the moss-draped oaks could talk.

My daughter knows that I am facing my upcoming empty nest with a lot of mixed emotions. It took almost a full day for the anxious feelings to be swept away. But it did happen. And then, I opened my eyes to the tranquility of the town that nourished me from birth to the age of 18.

Hydie's EntriesHydie WahlborgJune 23, 2017natchez, sweet olive family, family, mother daughter, visit natchez Comments

Empty Driveway

“How many times have I stood in open doorways as children left for school, asking the angels to fly alongside and bring them home to me? Thousands it seems.

Just now, Cary pulled away. Today is the last day she will ever leave our home to drive to school and all too soon, the driveway will remain empty. Angels…fly alongside this mother and give her the strength she needs to face a childless home. “

I don’t even have to wonder what this passage in my family ledger will mean to me in the years to come. Reading it again this morning, I know it will always remain as raw as the day I wrote it – only 17 days ago.

This isn’t the first time a child has left our home for college. Two before her have done the same. But somehow, facing their empty rooms was easier knowing that I still had a child at home.

Hydie's EntriesHydie WahlborgMay 31, 2017motherhood, family ledgerComment