Where Do I Go From Here?

I recently met a woman after my own heart at the library. She's a 51-year-old mother of two, a daughter with a master's degree who's teaching about 120 miles away from home, and a son who she dropped off at his fourth college campus in September to start his sophomore year.

She talked.

I listened.

I related.

This young mom was laid off from her job earlier this year, and was at the library searching job boards to send out resumes. But, she couldn't complete her tasks because her son kept calling. He needed her to sign papers. He needed her to pick him up. He needed her to follow up on his financial aid. He needed her to keep enabling him just like she was doing.

I got tired just listening to her, as she sat there exasperated that she had a "friend" living with her, along with his 14-year-old daughter who he hadn't registered for school. And as if that wasn't bad enough, her friend had spent the whole night drinking with her son.

I empathized, because I know what it's like to be stuck. I also know what's it's like to give people their problems back.

I'm freer than I've ever been. I can go out on dates without the added pressure of being home by a certain time to get the kids. My career is no longer limited to worrying about who comes first, my job or my kids. I'm discovering new passions and exploring ways to bring them to fruition. My youngest child is 19, and who knew that what should've been a 'woo hoo' moment for me, aka, my time to soar, would turn into me learning how to be single?

For the first time in my life, it's all about me. Now the only question is where do I go from here?