You write so beautifully to this and believe me.. it is a gut wrenching experience. I agree with you there. When my youngest went off to college ten years ago I swept the hurt under the proverbial carpet so to speak. My grief contributed to a divorce but I couldn’t shake it. I was so connected to parenting even though I was working from home beginning my writing career. I thought I had myself all pulled together until I didn’t. Happy to say that the time alone has become more true and easier but we should all respect the difficult emotional trajectory most caregivers face. We give so much love to others. Now we must give it to ourselves.