Reflecting on Loss

Whilst out shopping today, on two occasions, I heard about the sadness of people saying goodbye to their children who were leaving home for different reasons; both to enter into new stages of their lives. Although I don’t have children, I put myself into their shoes and felt their sadness; I then paused to reflect on transitions and feelings of loss. The support I have received from my friends and fiancé throughout the early and more recent years of being in menopause have allowed me to share my mixed feelings about not having had children of my own and what this means to me.

“I put myself into their shoes and felt their sadness; I then paused to reflect on transitions and feelings of loss.”

Rachel Podger

I feel so blessed to have relationships with children, some of whom are now adults, building lives and creating families of their own, and witnessing and hearing about their lives is a great privilege.  To see them growing up and leaving home fills me with excitement and hope for their future, and I hold within me a deep sadness of not being able to experience this as a mother myself.  As I have shared, intellectually, I know that there are many ways to nurture and care. Yet, it is important to acknowledge that this is a loss that will pave the way for a different type of future than the one I imagined during my younger years.