There are many passages in the life of a mother, and they come whether we like them or not. It begins with the weaning of a baby from the sweet dependence of nursing to the wonder of toddlerhood. Soon after comes the preschool years when a child can spend a night away from home without crying.

After that the transitions come in rapid succession — the emergence from the elementary years, in which mom is the cherished friend, moving into the hormonal years, when a child begins exploring their independence. Then come first jobs, driver's licenses, and graduation. Then adulthood, with its claims of work and marriage, and the new reality that my home is only a place for special occasions.

Knowing that my kids have their own lives now has brought a special spice to my time with them. It has made each meal more meaningful, each conversation more intense, and whatever we do together more worthy of celebrating as special.

I find in this season a sense of work well done, a bright harvest being gathered in after many years of faithful, hopeful work in the fields of my children's hearts and minds. I also find in myself a resolve to pass through this season with grace, and to find a peace as the doors of the past close behind me. I am looking ahead, by faith, to the new doors that will soon be opening on a brand-new season.

Read more about this in Seasons of a Mother’s Heart.