I JUST MOVED MY DAGHTER 700 Miles Away to Chicago, and It Hurts

Earlier This Month, I Packed Up My Daughter’s House, Where She Lived for Three Years with Her Best Friends From Collegeand drove a u-haul over 700 miles to chicago. We unloaded her supplied, unpacked boxes, set up her new space, and hugged goodbye. THEN I HADED TO THE AIRPORT FOR THE LONG TRIP HOME WERE.

I was bursting with pride: my 25 -ear-op Had landed an internal transfer at her company, seized the opportunity to try out in a brand-new city, and took a bold leap into adultthood.

But neither soon as left her, the Other Feeling hit just as hard: the ache of distance.

No one really preparations you for how Much it hurts made you do not have been speaking wings.

My son’s departure didn’t affect me too Much

When My Son Graduated from College in May 2020, The World Was Still Shut Down. He had a jab in New York Citybut the pandemic delayed His Move UNIL february 2021.

Instead of rushing off right after gradation, we got bonus dinners, family time together, and the kind of unplanned conversations you can’t schedule on facetime.

Be he finally did Move, it wasn’t so bad. New York is Only a Three-And-Half-Hour Train Ride Away. I knew i is could hop up for aeekend visits if i missed Him too. The distance was manageable – just far enough for Him to be independent, but close enough to comfort me.

My Daughter’s Path Was Different

AFTER Graduating in 2022, My Daughter Lived Nearby for Three Years. That’s though we didn’t see each other every day – Orvee eve week —just knowing she was Only 30 minutes away felt like a safety net.

I COULD HER FOR LUNCH, She COULD STOP BY FOR DINNER, OR WE COULD Go Shopping Together.

Now She’s 10-Plus-Hour Car Ride or A ticket plans Away. That “Security blanket” of proximity is gone.

Nor i flew back from chicago, realized that is isn’t just about miles; It ‘si shift in how our family Life Looks and Feels.

The Paradox of Pride and Pain

I am incredibly close to bot of my children, and i is couldn’t be proud of their independence. They’re Thriving in Competitive Careers, Taching Risks, and Courageously Stepping Into Big Cities. Watching say Spread Their Wings Fills With Joy.

But alongside that joy is grief. The paradox is real: you Raise Children to Be Independentbut do they actually become Independent, Your Heart Breaks a Little.

I’ve come to realize that family transitions bring joy and sorrow, offen at the sun.

Moving my daughter to chicago reminded with that grief isn’t reserve for tragic losses. It Shows up in Everyday Milestones, Too: The Empty Chair at the Dinner Table, the Absence of Last-Minute Lunch Dates, The KnowLEDGE THAT “JUST POPPING OVER” ISN’T POSSIVE ANYMORE.

And yet, the very reason it hurts is the reason i’m proud. My Kids have the court to leap into unknown cities gcause they know they always have a home to be back to. Their Wings Exist Because of their Roots.

So while I westle with the quiet house and the distance, I Also Celebrate the Bigger Picture: They Doing Exactly what we hoped they would be, Building lives of their.

I’m Slowly Moving Forward

I’m learning that the ache dosesn’t go away, but it can coexist with pride. I Can Miss My Children Tremendously while Also Cheering Technology Helps, of Course; theree are Always Daily Texts, Facetime callsand Sending Photos of What’s for Dinner. But nothing truly replaces proximity.

What I Hold onto is the anticipation of the next time together. The Visits Will Be Fewer, But Hopfulle Sweeter. The Hugs Will Last Longer. And when they do come home, the roots will Still be there, Grounding us all in what is familiar.

For now, i’m sitting with bot Truths: My Heart is full, and my Heart Hurts. That’s the Paradox of Parenting Young Adults, and Maybe the Most Powerful LESSON OF ALL.