I have been a spiritual seeker all my life and felt that it would be difficult to find someone who had same values and ideas. It had been difficult for Nick to accept them and that was uncomfortable for us. My future partner would need to have those interests.

So, I thought about my values, my wants and needs. I considered my life in all aspects: how I wanted my work life, my living space, and my relationships.

My vision included all these things, described in detail that delighted me. I continued by listing all aspects I wanted in my future partner, without being too specific. For instance, I listed that I wanted a handsome, attractive partner, but did not specify that he had black hair, blue eyes, and six feet tall.

I wrote my first draft, then meditated about it and finished my vision. Three weeks later, I met man of my dreams!

He is a perfect match for me and six years later, it continues to be wonderful. We live, love and laugh joyously. Life is fantastic.

And amazing thing is: at time I was writing a vision of my ideal life and partner, so was he! The Universe, in a magnificent gesture, brought us together through a mutual friend.

Vision writing is very powerful and is first step in process of transition. Its power lies in creation of an image that attracts our desires to us. We energize our vision by enjoying its images as if we were actually living it now. This is like putting gas in our car, giving vision energy to have it happen.

As I wrote my vision, I spent time imagining all details so that I could see, hear, smell and taste it. All of this imagining was done with emotion. I visualized actually standing in rooms, felt Egyptian cotton sheets, enjoyed smells in garden, and felt my lover touch my skin, mmm, delicious!

Sometimes change is foisted on us, when someone leaves us, or we create it, when we leave a situation. Vision writing creates a clear picture of your new beginning and gathers your resources together to manage it, if you will allow it.

Write your vision, and give permission for your dreams to unfold. Yes!

If you find yourself just completely baffled at what you can do, get a piece of paper and pen and start jotting down things you like to do or things you use to like or want to do when kids were small but didn’t have time for. This may even be a good time to jot down some of “new” projects you’d like to try. You might be surprised at how fast paper fills up.

Do you like to sew? Cook? Go Fishing? Climb mountains? Do crafts of any kind? Some are really getting into Scrap Booking right now. Been thinking of getting a part time (or full time) job? Maybe if you’ve been working you can change jobs or go for that promotion? Possibly, you’ve been working and now want to quit? LOL, list could be endless. It’s all about what you want to do now. Some Moms have even gone back to school and earned degrees and started all new careers.

Seems like whether we like it or not, kids grow up and we have to move on with our lives (they certainly are!). Don’t you think it’s what they would like to see anyway, that we are adjusting and moving on, after all, we don’t really want to make them feel guilty for growing up, do we? This time of our lives can be what we make it, so let’s make best of it!

Remember also, that a lot of us are starting to go through Menopause at this time of our lives, which doesn’t exactly help (alas, trials of ‘womanhood’!). So if you are really experiencing a lot of depression and finding it hard to work though all of this, don’t be afraid or shy to talk to your family doctor or minister. You may even want to consider professional counseling. It’s certainly nothing to be ashamed of. Think of your health and well-being. Try to make most out of your life and be happy and content.

For those of you who would like to communicate with other moms going though this “Empty Nest Phase” please feel free to check out forum on Empty Nest Moms, “Live After Nest Empties”. You’ll find you really aren’t alone or “going crazy” as some of members have put it, plus you’ll receive lots of support from those that know almost exactly how you are feeling!

You’ll find many topics to choose from as we have moms that are in different phases of this Empty Nest, all ready to jump in with support and suggestions.

Don’t forget, “you’re always going to be their Mom!”

Jeanine Herrin Empty Nest Moms www.emptynestmoms.com Be sure to visit new Empty Nest “On-Line” Magazine! www.emptynestmagazine.com